'Saving Lily' hits Amazon bestseller lists amid addiction recovery push

By AI, Created 5:30 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Saving Lily, a new book about addiction treatment and recovery, reached Amazon national bestseller status across multiple categories six months after its December 2025 release. The book’s rise reflects growing demand for practical, solutions-focused coverage of substance use disorder and mental health.

Why it matters: - Saving Lily is gaining traction as a public-facing argument for addiction treatment models built around dignity, accountability and compassion. - The book’s bestseller run gives its recovery message a wider audience among readers, clinicians and policymakers. - Its popularity comes as demand grows for clearer, more practical answers to substance use disorder and mental health challenges.

What happened: - Saving Lily: Lessons from Building the Largest Addiction Treatment Center in Sin City During the Opioid Epidemic reached Amazon National Bestseller status across multiple categories. - The book was released in December 2025 and hit the bestseller lists about six months later. - The title ranked No. 1 in Indigenous Mental Health & Healing eBooks, No. 4 in Emotions & Mental Health, No. 9 in Mental Health, No. 21 in Emotional Mental Health and No. 36 in Counseling & Psychology. - The book is co-authored by Dr. David Marlon, PsyD, and journalist Jessica Kantor. - The book is available on Amazon and major retailers in the U.S. and U.K., including Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Hudson Booksellers, Target, Walmart, Post Hill Press and Blackwell’s.

The details: - The book draws on Dr. Marlon’s recovery journey and his work building one of the nation’s largest addiction treatment centers in Las Vegas. - The story also follows Lily, a young woman facing severe trauma, mental illness and substance use disorder. - The book argues against one-size-fits-all treatment and pushes integrated, person-centered care. - The authors frame the book as both a memoir and a practical roadmap for recovery systems. - Readers have left five-star Amazon reviews praising the book’s honesty, clarity and emotional impact. - One review called the book “Well done. Easy to read and the truth about addiction.” - Another called it “A powerful, eye-opening story that should be required reading.” - A third called it “Honest, raw, and incredibly important.” - Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Clark County commissioner, echoed the book’s “truth about addiction” message. - Shelley Berkley, Las Vegas mayor and former U.S. congresswoman, praised the mix of lived experience and academic insight. - Frank-Jürgen Richter, chairman of Horasis, called the book “a groundbreaking contribution to addiction literature” and “an indispensable compass for policymakers, clinicians, and communities.”

Between the lines: - The bestseller rankings suggest addiction recovery content can break through beyond the usual health-book audience. - The book’s emphasis on system failures and individualized care positions it as a critique of standard addiction treatment approaches. - Support from public officials and policy-oriented leaders hints at a broader attempt to move the book from personal narrative into policy conversation.

What’s next: - Saving Lily is positioned to keep circulating as a reference point in conversations about addiction treatment and recovery reform. - The authors and publisher are likely to continue using the book’s sales momentum to expand its reach with readers and professionals. - More attention could follow if the book continues to hold or climb on category bestseller lists.