I decided to close out the month with another round of things on my recent radar which I think are worth sharing!

Click 🖱️

Good news.

The new Reading Rainbow, hosted by librarian Mychal Threets, just got a 24-episode pickup! THR has more details, Sony Orders 24 Episodes of ‘Reading Rainbow’ Reboot as Classic Kids Show Finds New Life 

You can get a free audiobook.

Between February 23-28, 2026, when you donate $15 USD or more in support of public libraries, you’ll receive a free Libro.fm audiobook credit. Here’s the how-to.

The sound I made when I saw this headline.

God Admits He No Longer Loves Humanity But Is Too Afraid To Leave

Beautiful.

Activists hang photo of UK's Andrew in Paris' Louvre after arrest

We can fix things.

Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years

We could be having a lot of interesting conversations if everything wasn’t set to cruelty right now.

“You might argue that these videos are little more than sitcom schlock or rage-bait meant to maximize engagement. But the fury viewers feel is real. In a moment when women are reexamining the value of hetero relationships, many are tired of telling friends and loved ones to leave the men dragging them down. They don’t want to commiserate; they want you to do better.” I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me): Nothing inspires rage like a woman who defends her partner’s bad behavior.

Just dropped trailers for films I want to see:

Watch 📺

Rental Fmily (Hulu)

This, and the below film, happen to be two indie films that are very different from each other (especially in tone) but both are about loneliness at their core and both have stayed with me. Rental Family stars Brendan Frasier as an American actor living in Japan who is deeply lonely. He ends up working for a fascinating business which basically hires people to pretend to play a real role in someone’s life in situations that are created because of societal stigmas. Suddenly Frasier’s character is not only connecting with people who are clients, and not meant to be in his life, but he’s also questioning the morality of the work. For a film about loneliness and the ties we need in a healthy society the film really has a lot of heart. It’s also beautifully filmed. (Whenever I have a free minute I am definitely looking up if these kinds of services actually exist.)

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (HBO)

There was a lot of press around Rose Byrne’s excellent performance in this film and it is all extremely deserved. It is an incredibly difficult role as an actress to play a woman losing her shit, making unwise decisions—especially as a mother—in which the audience doesn’t completely turn on her. In this case Rose Byrne plays a mother to a young child who is ill, and she is essentially navigating on a daily basis as a single mother since her husband’s job keeps him traveling. Then her home becomes unlivable and she has to care for her daughter in a motel, while working full time as a therapist (while deeply needing a therapist). It’s dark and stressful af to watch but it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in a while for forcing you to feel things.

It also made a very smart choice in how the child is filmed and also how you feel the absences that Byrne’s character is contending with. It left me thinking about all the intentional decisions that really worked out for this film.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (Peacock)

Every once in a while there is a particular kind of quirky/funny/wink-at-the-audience type show that comes along (Brooklyn Nine-Nine / 30 Rock/ Arrested Development) and this is doing that. I would have gotten around to this eventually but I immediately jumped on it because Erika Alexander —the actress who played Maxine Shaw on Living Single (one of my all time favorite TV characters)—is on the show. The premise is simple, a once professional football star who lost it all (his own doing) is now being filmed by a documentarian who is following him around. So far it has enough ridiculousness mixed with heart to feel like what we need right now.

Paradise S2 (Hulu)

This is one of the few shows from last year that really held my full attention—it starts as a murder mystery thriller and then quickly unfolds into something else. And the twists just keep coming. The first three episodes of the second season have dropped, with one episode dropping a week to follow and the first episode of this season was fantastic writing. It managed to actually create the tension and intensity from the first season by taking a totally different path to bring viewers back up to date. It's a different show but if you’re looking for something to watch after Pluribus try Paradise.

And finally, some recently acquired galleys I’m excited to read

Puck by Samantha Allen

Big Girl Blitz by Danielle Allen

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation by Michael Blanding

It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

And Mazywood by Tananarive Due (September) but that doesn’t have a cover yet!