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Book Review of Leech by Hiron Ennes 5/5

Welcome, welcome, welcome

Happy Release Day to Hiron Ennes and this fantastically weird and wonderful story!
You are never going to believe this is a debut.

Many, many thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and Hiron Ennes for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of Leech early, I am truly grateful. These are 100% my own thoughts.

Now.. I’m not usually one of those readers who waves around metaphorical pom-poms, encouraging others in an unrelenting, yet upbeat, sort of way that you should go out (right now!) and grab this book for yourselves,, but here we are.
And you should definitely snatch this one up.

Now available for purchase on Amazon, click on any of the links or images below to get your own copy today!
(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

Enjoy!

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Leech by Hiron Ennes

Publication date: September 27, 2022
Pages: 336
Genre: Gothic Horror, Science Fiction
Standalone

In a far distant future, what’s left of humanity struggles to survive on the scraps of what’s left of a ruined world.

And far to the north, in the Chateau de Verdira, where Winter isolates and creatures of myth stalk the night, the baron’s own physician has died under mysterious circumstances.

Paid generously for their services, the Interprovincial Medical Institute sends his replacement, a young doctor who is also there to determine the cause of death.

What they find is nothing short of horrifying.

Hidden within the skull of the previous physician, just behind his eye, something both alarming and peculiar is discovered.

Five Stars!

Characters: Strange. Unusual. Fascinating.
Pace: Perfect.
Writing: Dark. Intelligent. Absorbing
Cover: 5/5

POVs:
The Institute’s Physician

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Let me start by saying that I adored this book.

My overall first impression of it was one of excitement and curiosity.
Firstly: the dark, creepy cover caught my attention right away.
Second: I was (and am) a huge fan of the old world, gothic feel the author’s writing has. It’s dark, intelligent, and utterly compelling.
And Lastly: Our odd protagonist had me intrigued from page one with their queer and unearthly manner.
What we have here is a quiet, dignified sort of monster.

Everything in this book is so incredibly unique and unusual.. I was fascinated, addicted, and charmed by the many eccentricities of the characters and world. It’s really very impressive how the author was able to form such a smooth transition between the multitude of voices and personalities you come across.

The storyline had me completely fascinated and thoroughly invested.. It almost has a Stephanie Meyer’s ‘The Host‘ meets SyFy television show ‘Helix‘ kind of vibe. You’re drawn in slowly but, eventually, you’ll notice how cleverly you’ve been ensnared by the strangeness of it all. I found myself going back over chapters and lines, determined to soak in every detail.

And the environment we’re immersed in is nearly as fascinating as the people in it..
This world has ‘ended’ several times over, made ever more dangerous by the shifting earth and savage, unpredictable weather. The people barely survive, scrounging through ruined, crumbling cities for supplies and parts.
It’s a desperate, desolate place.

And I would love to spill my guts on every wonderful, dark, or strange element that had me enjoying this book so thoroughly but, alas, I do not want to ruin the full experience for you.

Just one little warning/spoiler/complaint..
The ending is a giant WTF.
Seriously.

I gave this book five stars and I stick to that because it was such a unexpectedly compelling read.. but it was close. The ending had me freezing up like a deer in headlights. I refuse to believe that a story this interesting isn’t the beginning of a (hopefully) long and equally fascinating series of adventures in this broken land with these curious characters, otherwise, that ending was just mean.
The author did tie everything together nicely but there’s so much potential for more to come..

I will tell you that this book is worth every second you’ll spend reading it.

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Thank you for taking a moment to check out this review, I hope you’ve enjoyed it! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this and I’d love it if my review encouraged you to give this book a chance to consume you.

Does this this seem like your kind of read?

Be safe out there, my friends, and Happy reading!

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