This is not going to be exhaustive list—I’ll probably read other things, too, and may not get to all of these. But as of today, this is my plan.
Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America
by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
More than fifteen years after Parks and Recreation premiered, it has become a streaming staple. It’s beloved for its jokes, characters, and expressions—the show even created a now widely observed holiday, Galentine’s Day. How did it all happen and how did the show transform from a ratings disappointment into a cult classic? Pop culture historian Jennifer Keishin Armstrong reveals all this and more in the authoritative history of the show, which is as full of humor, optimism, and heart as Parks and Recreation itself.
Through new and exclusive interviews, as well as deep insight and smart and entertaining pop culture analysis, Armstrong tells the story of how Parks and Recreation came to be: how it grew from The Office’s success and Obama-inspired optimism, how producers assembled one of TV’s most lovable casts but barely survived a mediocre first season, how the show found its voice by getting more political and more romantic, and how it became a cultural force despite middling ratings during its network run, going on to become a television savior of the Trump era and a modern classic.
Lovingly told and deeply researched, Parks and Rec is the ultimate history of the show that taught us what’s important in life: friends, waffles, and work.
I don’t want this one to waste away on my shelves like What’s Next did, so I’m tackling it next week.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother's hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.
A fresh cut makes boys fly.
This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber's chair--a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That's where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
Okay, I’m curious about this one–it’s definitely not the thing I’d typically pick up. But after reading the blurb, I’m eager to see how it goes.
Kill all Wizards
by Jedediah Berry
SWORDS, SORCERY, AND A SPOT OF TEA
We could think of nothing but the barbarian. He had come here, surely, to murder or marry someone, to exact revenge, or to say or do something very scandalous. We could hardly wait to see which it was. We hoped it would be all of them.
The barbarian traveled far to consult the wizards of the empire. Instead of lending their aid, they ensorcelled him, exploited his strength, and stole his sword. They should not have done that.
Now the barbarian plans to kill every wizard who wronged him, even if that means blending in with their vile society: dressing in finery, taking tea in exclusive clubs, and reserving the best box at the theater.
Oh, he hates it all with the fiery passion of his savage heart—but not as much as he hates these wizards.
I figure a nice one-day read would be a good break from everything this month. Also, I’m afraid I’d forget all about this if I didn’t read it soon.
The Shadow Step
by Mark Billingham
The Shadow Step: One taken simultaneously by a pair of dancers facing the same direction, one of them behind and slightly shifted leftwards ("in the shadow")
A perfectly executed shadow step demonstrates synchronized elegance. It showcases a couple in near telepathic harmony with one another. It does not normally end with someone stone-dead in a lake.
DS Declan Miller is a magnet for strange cases, but an innocent man confessing to the crime? That's a first. Things rapidly escalate when the murder that isn't really a murder attracts the unwanted attention of a drug Queenpin, a deranged ex-squaddie, and a lovesick gangland enforcer. And when a real murder follows - and a student is kidnapped - all evidence points back to the same innocent man.
Throw in a wobbly dog, a pair of ceramic leopards, and the distracting smell from a biscuit factory, and Miller's only option to save a young man's life is to waltz all the way into the shadows.
I’m looking forward to seeing what DS Miller is like after the events of the second book, a friend read it already and raved, too. With the exception of the Craven book below, this is the least likely to get finished this month. As much as it bugs me to say that.
Cold Iron Task
by James Butcher
Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby may have one case under his belt, but he’s still a novice Auditor in Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. And he’s already made mistakes.
Desperate to repair his fraying friendships, he doesn’t ask too many questions when a mysterious patron offers him the chance to join a heist of an otherworldly vault—and in the process find answers that could make things right.
Complications arise when Grimsby learns that his partner, Mayflower, is keeping secrets about his past. Between facing new demons, old horrors, and monsters—both Usual and Unorthodox—Grimsby soon realizes nothing is how it appears and that not asking enough questions just might be his downfall.
Grimsby is one of those characters I just can’t get enough of. It’s been a burr under my saddle that I have yet to read this despite owning it since March ’25.
The Killer’s Mark
by M.W. Craven
A MONSTER. A MOTHER. A MURDER?
When Vice Admiral Boyer, RN (retd) died without leaving a will, his estranged daughter inherited his - not inconsiderable - estate. Called home to sort through his belongings, she found an AegisBox - a tamper proof safe within a safe designed to self-destruct if anyone without the code attempts to open it. Unable to walk away without the truth, she uncovered something so horrifying it launched the biggest investigation in the National Crime Agency's history. Five years later, Washington Poe is unwittingly, and unwillingly, sucked into its gravity...
Finally able to escape the authority they railed against, Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are enjoying their new jobs as private detectives or - as the sign on their door says - 'Gumshoes for Hire'. When a teenage girl walks into their office, looking for the mother she long believed to be dead, they agree to take the case. As Poe and Tilly investigate the girl's claims, they find themselves drawn into a murky world of trafficking, pornography and prostitution. Will they be able to help the girl find her mother, or will the dark forces at work, who will stop at nothing to protect themselves, get there first...
A new Poe and Tilly book is one of the most tantalizing things on my calendar for the year. Especially as this one starts a new direction for the series. The only thing that’ll keep me from reading it this months is waiting for international shipping to get it to me.
Eaters of the Dead
by Michael Crichton
It is 922 A.D. The refined Arab courtier Ibn Fadlan is accompanying a party of Viking warriors back to their home. He is appalled by their customs—the gratuitous sexuality of their women, their disregard for cleanliness, and their cold-blooded sacrifices. As they enter the frozen, forbidden landscape of the North—where the day’s length does not equal the night’s, where after sunset the sky burns in streaks of color—Fadlan soon discovers that he has been unwillingly enlisted to combat the terrors in the night that come to slaughter the Vikings, the monsters of the mist that devour human flesh. But just how he will do it, Fadlan has no idea.
I probably wouldn’t have gotten around to this ever–I hadn’t even heard of it until it was announced as an upcoming Book Club selection. But now that it’s time to read it, I’m looking forward to it.
Wool
by Hugh Howey
The first book in the acclaimed, New York Times best-selling trilogy, Wool is the story of mankind clawing for survival. The world outside has grown toxic, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. The remnants of humanity live underground in a single silo.
But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they want: They are allowed to go outside.
After the previous sheriff leaves the silo in a terrifying ritual, Juliette, a mechanic from the down deep, is suddenly and inexplicably promoted to the head of law enforcement. With newfound power and with little regard for the customs she is supposed to abide, Juliette uncovers hints of a sinister conspiracy. Tugging this thread may uncover the truth . . . or it could kill every last human alive.
This is another book I wouldn’t have gotten to if not for Book Club. It’s not that I didn’t want to read it, but I feel like I missed its moment. Which is silly really, a book’s moment never ends.
Unpredictable Magic
by Faith Hunter
Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend, who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.
The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Witch War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.
As Angie and Evan team up with CPD, they will have to dig deep into their magical reserves—and rely on some friends in high places—to rid Chattanooga of the danger creeping into their city.
I really only needed “Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations” to be sold on this. Angie and Evan as adults? I’m in.
Sure, the rest of the blurb sounds good, but it’s just extra icing on the cake.
Julián Is a Mermaid
by Jessica Love
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.
I’m a little worried that this is going to be preachy and over the top. But, I’d like to see if they pull it off. If nothing else, it’s short.
The Last Rift Dragon
by Shami Stovall
The City of Bridgehaven is under attack.
The nation to the west intends to murder Bridgehaven's last three remaining dragons, rendering them extinct. They'll stop at nothing to crush the eggs, flay the dragons, and burn Bridgehaven to the ground.
But Richter Whitlock is determined to make sure that doesn't happen. He joins the Knights of the Silver Fog-individuals dedicated to protecting Bridgehaven, and the dragons, at all costs-in the hopes of caring for a fragile dragon egg, so that one day he may bond and fight back.
But there are traitors in Bridgehaven, and enemies are circling close.
If Richter hopes to save his home, and his egg, he'll have to master his magic, learn to craft magitech, and become one of the greatest Knights anyone has ever seen...
I’ve only read Stovall’s UF, so when The Write Reads invited me to a Book Tour for this, I figured this would be a good opportunity to see what she can do in straight Fantasy. Also…that Dragon on the cover is pretty cool.
Dial A for Aunties
by Jesse Q. Sutanto
When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.
But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?
I got this as a “Blind Date with a Book” thing last year. I doubt I’d have gone diving in Sutanto’s backlist, as much as I enjoyed her newer books. But now that I own it (and that it fits a prompt for The 2026 BookTempter’s TBR Challenge)…I might as well. Almost guaranteed to be a fun read.
Late Night Mars
by Thomas Trang
Medina Rifkin, a director of cult crime films, is back from shooting his latest one out on the asteroids. He lands on Mars as tensions run high, with the solar system on the brink of war between the Mars-based Federation and the Negara who run the asteroid belt. Rifkin’s life isn’t going that great either – his last few films have tanked, and he owes money to the wrong kind of people. He’s also returned with a secret message from the Negara, which brings him into the orbit of a firebrand senator looking to reform Federal politics. Rifkin is soon caught between the different players all competing for power. Behind the glitz of film festivals and industry parties, dark forces are quietly taking shape. This new world of espionage and clandestine meetings is like something from one of Rifkin’s films – but there’s no cameras rolling and the violence is very real.
At first glance, this seems like a strange way to follow up Asteroid Savage–but it sounds pretty cool, and I can see how this will be a great way to expand on the first book in the series.
Crownfall
by Michael Vadney
Nearly a decade under the empire's grip has left Burunt a troubled land.
Kyndel Heim knows the truth behind the Viceroy's rise to power. After years of torture, his only goal is vengeance, but to master his powers he needs a mentor, one that won't kill him first.
Major Jelert Egarro came to Burunt to build something better. Instead, his talents have become weapons in the wrong hands-and those hands are everywhere. He must choose between his ideals or survival.
Lady Amara Khar must renew her family's legacy. Sharp and ruthless, she's kept her house alive through smuggling and shadow deals, but reclaiming power means making allies as dangerous as her enemies.
In the struggle for power, justice, and survival, each of them must decide who they're willing to become.
This is the third month in a row that I’ve put this on the list. By Grabthar’s Hammer, I WILL FINISH IT this month.
Deadly Does It
by Abbi Waxman
Mason, a Gen Z adrenaline junkie, and Mann, an ex-con, ex-actress, and lawyer turned sleuth, have already solved one murder together. United by their commitment to sarcasm and general disappointment with the human race, they now face a second crime that’s way too close to home. Alexa Rousso keeps having accidents, and no one but her thinks it’s a coincidence. Could her checkered past be coming back to get her? Mason and Mann’s investigation takes them to the Bay Area, to the Central Coast, and – of course – to the hippest spots in Los Angeles. Will the Berkeley boho vibe convert Mann from vintage couture? Will the wine snobs of Ojai drive Mason to drink (or to vinicide, which isn’t even a thing)? More importantly, will they solve the mystery before the murderer’s sights settle on the detectives themselves, or will this new challenge also be their last?
A new Abbi Waxman is an auto-get for me. A follow-up to last year’s One Death at a Time makes that doubly-true. I can’t wait to read more adventures for these two–and the chaotic cast of characters that surely comes with them.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me
by Django Wexler
Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.
After countless failures (let's not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil-by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi's not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.
With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there's that too.
Wexler left the first book in the duology in a place where I had to move on. I can’t wait to get back into this world and to Davi’s distinctive voice.
(Image by DaModernDaVinci from Pixabay)
Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City 
