Business, wellness, recovery, poetry and AI make this year's list
TEMECULA, Calif., May 28, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Publishers Newswire (PNW), an online news publisher covering books, music, indie film, and software launched in 2004, today announced its latest semi-annual “books to bookmark” list for Q1 of 2026, noting 11 new and exceptional “good reads” from small publishers based in North America. These recently published books are often overlooked due to not coming from major traditional N.Y. book publishers.
Image caption: 11 Exceptional Good Reads make the 2026 Q1 BOOKS TO BOOKMARK List: What to Read Next.
“Once again memoirs and real-world business books are popular and notable topics in publishing this year,” says PNW editor and publisher, Christopher Laird Simmons, who has worked in the publishing world since the late ‘70s, and is also CEO of the website’s parent company, NEOTROPE.
11 BOOKS WORTH A LOOK FOR Q1 2026:
(alphabetical order by book title)
:: ADDICTED TO FAILURE: WHY THE REHAB SYSTEM DOESN’T WORK AND WHAT MUST CHANGE
In his new book, “Addicted to Failure: Why the Rehab System Doesn’t Work and What Must Change” (ISBN: 978-1968339876), author and addiction reform advocate Jimmie Applegate takes aim at a $16B industry that “profits from relapse” and exposes why traditional rehab models fail to deliver real recovery. Applegate unpacks the myths behind 12-step dominance, exposes the financial exploitation driving short-term treatment and explains how neuroscience reveals a longer path to recovery than insurance companies want to admit.
:: BRAND YOU: HOW PROFESSIONALS BUILD AUTHORITY, TRUST, AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE AI ERA
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) can automate tasks, analyze data, and even generate content, the question isn’t whether technology will replace human workers – it’s what makes professionals irreplaceable. “Brand You: How Professionals Build Authority, Trust, and Opportunity in the AI Era” (ISBN: 979-8249280345) by Michael K Bender answers that question with a comprehensive, action-oriented guide designed for professionals across all industries and countries.
:: JUNY THE BUTTERFLY BOY: A STORY OF LOSS AND LOVE
Dr. MaryAnn Wilkey’s compassionate new children’s book, “Juny the Butterfly Boy: A Story of Loss and Love” (ISBN: 978-1779629081) blends gentle fantasy with emotional truth. Her book offers young readers and families an accessible way to understand grief, memory, and the lasting power of love. Written as a comforting companion for young readers, the book provides language, imagery, and emotional support for families navigating grief together.
:: LAUGHING THROUGH THE STORM: LIFE WITH EPILEPSY: UNPREDICTABLE, AND UNEXPECTEDLY FUNNY
In author Jane Rogers’ “Laughing Through the Storm: Life with Epilepsy: Unpredictable, and Unexpectedly Funny” (ISBN: 978-1834189024), she brings raw honesty, unexpected hilarity, and deeply human insight to the epilepsy journey – one seizure, one hospital visit, and one awkward moment at a time. What happens when your brain becomes your most unpredictable sidekick? Diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 13, Jane has navigated decades of neurological mayhem with a sharp wit and a resilient heart. Her memoir is more than a survival story – it’s a celebration of humor in the face of hardship.
:: LOVE, LIFE AND MOTHER NATURE: PICTURE BOOK OF POEMS
James C. Glassford’s new book, “Love, Life and Mother Nature: Picture Book of Poems” (ISBN: 978-1834182124) is a poetry collection that explores the natural world as a source of reflection, learning, and emotional grounding. Paired with original photography, the book presents nature as both a physical environment and a place for personal contemplation. While much of the book reflects adult observation and lived experience, some poems examine nature through imagination and memory.
:: MATTHEW’S JOURNEY: THE RETURN HOME
Author and longtime educator William Joseph Birrell’s latest novel, “Matthew’s Journey: The Return Home” (ISBN: 978-1834182674), is an historical fiction story centered on love, separation, and survival during wartime. The story addresses themes of trauma, perseverance, loyalty, and hope. Through Matthew’s experiences, William J. Birrell explores the physical and psychological impact of combat, including fear, anger, and the lasting effects of violence. Caroline’s story reflects the quiet strength required to endure separation and loss.
:: ONCE UPON A TIME IN PALM BEACH: TALES OF LIFE & LOVE FROM THE LAND OF SUNSHINE & MONEY
Karen Soven’s “Once Upon A Time In Palm Beach: Tales of Life & Love from the Land of Sunshine & Money” (ISBN: 978-1964377599) provides a juicy journey through high society and the hip-hop culture of the South. “Once Upon A Time In Palm Beach” isn’t just a memoir – it’s a dynamic exploration of worlds rarely glimpsed and a blueprint for turning losses into wins. Readers will connect with Karen’s candid insights on balancing career, motherhood and social demands as well as her talent for finding opportunities in adversity.
:: SELF-WORTH: THE PATH TO HAPPINESS
In an era marked by rising stress, disconnection, and declining happiness, author and former investment management chairman Jonathan J. Woolverton offers a timely and practical guide to reclaiming joy and purpose in his new book, “Self-Worth: The Path to Happiness” (ISBN: 978-1834181714). Drawing on decades of professional experience advising individuals and teams, as well as his academic background in economics, accounting, and psychology, Woolverton examines why happiness levels have steadily declined across all stages of life – and what can be done to reverse that trend.
:: THE LAST NEIGHBORHOOD: A SOUTH PHILLY MEMOIR
Author and former professional boxer Mike Rafferty announces the release of his new memoir, “The Last Neighborhood: A South Philly Memoir” (ISBN: 978-1834189406) a deeply personal coming-of-age story set in the working-class streets of South Philadelphia. This is not a Hollywood boxing story. It is a raw, honest account of a skinny, uncertain boy struggling with fear, self-doubt, and expectations. Determined to earn respect from his father and peers, Michael turns to boxing as a way to stand out and build confidence. Rafferty was a top-ranked amateur and professional boxer for nine years. He went undefeated as a professional with a 7–0 record before a car accident and injuries interrupted his career.
:: TO LIVE AND WRITE IN LA: A STREET-LEVEL GUIDE TO SURVIVING AS A SCREENWRITER
In a brutally honest and darkly humorous exploration of the film and television industry, veteran screenwriter Jim Agnew’s “To Live and Write in LA: A Street-Level Guide to Surviving as a Screenwriter” (ISBN: 979-8218906696) blends behind-the-scenes stories with practical business insight. Agnew recounts his journey from low-budget, single-location action films to studio projects, streaming-era pitches and high-stakes legal battles. Drawing from more than 30 years inside Hollywood’s creative and corporate machinery, “To Live and Write in LA” pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a screenwriting career in an industry where deals collapse overnight, backend profits vanish and creative control is often an illusion.
:: YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO KILL TO GET AHEAD: REIMAGINING WEALTH, POWER AND BELONGING IN AMERICA
In his new book, “You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead: Reimagining Wealth, Power and Belonging in America” (ISBN: 978-1968339180), author, Army Veteran and former political candidate Chris Rivers lays bare the broken promises of the American Dream and offers a path forward for a nation at a breaking point. Rivers argues that the US must decouple wealth from political power, build a new marketplace of ideas and foster a sense of belonging that can unite rather than divide.
LEARN MORE:
To learn more about these and other great reads you’ve never heard about, visit: https://publishersnewswire.com/book-news/
ABOUT PUBLISHERS NEWSWIRE:
Publishers Newswire™ (PNW) is an online publication founded in 2004, covering books and publishing, music and software news. Publishers Newswire does not endorse, “recommend,” or review any of the book titles mentioned, and the specific books mentioned are for informational purpose only. No fee or other consideration was paid for inclusion in this list. PNW is a publication of Neotrope®.
ABOUT NEOTROPE:
Neotrope® has been in the publishing business since the late 1970s, when then teenage founder Christopher Simmons published first “The Comic Collectors Comic Checklist” sold at the San Diego Comic-Con. The company went on to publish “The Galaxy of Fandom” a two-issue entertainment magazine, and later “The Adama Journal” a fanzine for “Battlestar Galactica.” In 1982, “The Unicorn Hunters Guidebook” was featured in Playboy magazine. In 1987, a fanzine for “Star Trek: The Next Generation” called “Galaxy Class” launched. In 2008, the company published “FRACTOPIA” a coffee table art book by Simmons (ISBN: 978-0971055506; Neotrope Press).
The company publishing unit was originally called Silver Unicorn Graphics (S.U. Graphics and Marketing), became Mindset Press in 1987 and Neotrope Press in 1997.
The company is also a leader in online advertising and marketing, public relations, music/video and multimedia. Neotrope is based in the Southern California wine country of Temecula. Neotrope® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and Europe. The company celebrated its 40th anniversary Jan. 2023.
Christopher Simmons has been a working journalist since 1984 when he sold his first article to POLYPHONY magazine. Later writing for diverse pubs including Computer Player, Digital Imaging, Micro Publishing News, Spazz, the Graphic Artist’s Guild newspaper, among many others. He has been widely interviewed on topics related to technology, marketing, health and entertainment.
Learn more about Neotrope at: https://neotrope.com/ (website under reconstruction).
NOTE: NEOTROPE does not publish any of the “books to bookmark” mentioned in this press release nor represent any author or publisher in an agency capacity. For questions about any of the books mentioned contact the author or publisher directly and not this website.
NEWS SOURCE: Publishers Newswire
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