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Leech: A Sapphic Bully Romance
Shannon
I don't belong at Avonwood. They all tell me that. What I don't tell them is that I'd rather die than spend my life rotting away in the council estate I grew up in.
Amongst this world of wealth and opportunity, there's also the shadowy girl who draws my eye and hates my ever-living soul.
She hounds me, hunts me. She's there in every dark corner, ready to pounce.
I don't know how much more of this I can take. One of us has to break.
Frances
I can almost pretend my hate for her came first, not the seizing of my heart and the roar in my head.
How can someone be your every trigger and also the drug you need to survive?
I can't bear her; I need her.
September marks our final year at Avonwood and I won't let her go quietly.
*
Author's This is a bully romance. It gets dark in places. My girls are messed up and so are the things they do to each other. Love ultimately prevails but buckle up for some toxicity in the meantime.
I don't belong at Avonwood. They all tell me that. What I don't tell them is that I'd rather die than spend my life rotting away in the council estate I grew up in.
Amongst this world of wealth and opportunity, there's also the shadowy girl who draws my eye and hates my ever-living soul.
She hounds me, hunts me. She's there in every dark corner, ready to pounce.
I don't know how much more of this I can take. One of us has to break.
Frances
I can almost pretend my hate for her came first, not the seizing of my heart and the roar in my head.
How can someone be your every trigger and also the drug you need to survive?
I can't bear her; I need her.
September marks our final year at Avonwood and I won't let her go quietly.
*
Author's This is a bully romance. It gets dark in places. My girls are messed up and so are the things they do to each other. Love ultimately prevails but buckle up for some toxicity in the meantime.
281 pages, Paperback
Published August 12, 2023
50 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
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October 30, 2023This book torned me so so much, that even now, more than a month since i read it, i don't know what to rate it!! It was so so good, untill it wasn't!
First of all, this is a bully romance, which i love!! Plus sapphic? Words can't describe how excited i was to read it!!! This combination is my kryptonite! And it had so much angst that aggghhh!
I have so so many things highlighted!!!! The obsession they had with each other, the tension, those intense feelings that i can't help but eat up!!!
I think of Shannon’s watery eyes, the teardrops in her lashes, the way her lips pursed as she tried to contain them. She was ethereal, cheeks and nose all stained red like that. There was a moment I yearned to grab her to me, squeeze her so fucking hard that her breathing stopped as well as her tears. I want to see her cry, but only if I can be the one to build her back up afterwards.
I just hope she’s not crying again. Not when I’m not there to assuage her.
The emotions were so strong, so raw! All their exchanges fully intense, either full off hatred or full of warmth and affection!
And then at around 80% something happened! something i cqan't look passed! Aghh it angered me so much! If it had happened in the first half, before they were so connected, before their sweet moments and their confenssions about their stories and traumas i wouldn't have minded it! But after all that they shared? I can't can't forgive it!!
Not gonna lie the groveling after was very satisfying and i have again many many highlighted parts after this too, that i adored! But still everytime i think about what happened? I am full of anger and i feel like nothing could excuse it!
So these are my thoughts and feelings about this book! I might come back later to add more quotes and details, i might leave it here! I would only recommend it to people that can excuse betrayal (not cheating type betrayal, but using a vulnerable moment against the other person type). As for the rating, i have no ideaaaa
First of all, this is a bully romance, which i love!! Plus sapphic? Words can't describe how excited i was to read it!!! This combination is my kryptonite! And it had so much angst that aggghhh!
I have so so many things highlighted!!!! The obsession they had with each other, the tension, those intense feelings that i can't help but eat up!!!
I think of Shannon’s watery eyes, the teardrops in her lashes, the way her lips pursed as she tried to contain them. She was ethereal, cheeks and nose all stained red like that. There was a moment I yearned to grab her to me, squeeze her so fucking hard that her breathing stopped as well as her tears. I want to see her cry, but only if I can be the one to build her back up afterwards.
I just hope she’s not crying again. Not when I’m not there to assuage her.
The emotions were so strong, so raw! All their exchanges fully intense, either full off hatred or full of warmth and affection!
And then at around 80% something happened! something i cqan't look passed! Aghh it angered me so much! If it had happened in the first half, before they were so connected, before their sweet moments and their confenssions about their stories and traumas i wouldn't have minded it! But after all that they shared? I can't can't forgive it!!
Not gonna lie the groveling after was very satisfying and i have again many many highlighted parts after this too, that i adored! But still everytime i think about what happened? I am full of anger and i feel like nothing could excuse it!
So these are my thoughts and feelings about this book! I might come back later to add more quotes and details, i might leave it here! I would only recommend it to people that can excuse betrayal (not cheating type betrayal, but using a vulnerable moment against the other person type). As for the rating, i have no ideaaaa
July 12, 2024
It was a super quick read but a lot of spelling errors and the plot was a bit lacking
dnf
September 19, 2025got to 63%, this is garbage
October 3, 2023
⭐ 2.75
i hate them. i love them.
i hate them. i love them.
June 26, 2024
bully romance had high expectation but of tryst six venom (don't think any book can surpass it)
it got a little dull at during its last part
it got a little dull at during its last part
September 28, 2023
Not the best I've read in this niche genre, but engaging and fun and very angsty, which is basically what we're here for, aren't we?
May 15, 2024
Am I the only one who is annoyed that we’ll never know what Shannon got Frances for her birthday?
February 19, 2025
Love love love
I normally don't read bully romances because they give me terrible anxiety. I don't mind the dark aspect of them, I just get squeamish when I know that the love interests are going to give each other h3ll in such terrible ways. I was mentally prepared for it here, and I knew that I loved the author and that I wouldn't be disappointed. I was right. There's something about the way Holly Thorne writes such troubled characters that draws you in and never lets you go. The strong emotions are absolutely riveting. I came here from Tricky Girls and I binge read this one the same as that one. I need this author to never stop writing because I never want to stop reading.
I normally don't read bully romances because they give me terrible anxiety. I don't mind the dark aspect of them, I just get squeamish when I know that the love interests are going to give each other h3ll in such terrible ways. I was mentally prepared for it here, and I knew that I loved the author and that I wouldn't be disappointed. I was right. There's something about the way Holly Thorne writes such troubled characters that draws you in and never lets you go. The strong emotions are absolutely riveting. I came here from Tricky Girls and I binge read this one the same as that one. I need this author to never stop writing because I never want to stop reading.
August 29, 2024
I love bully romances ☺️
Bully romance ☑️
Enemies to lovers☑️
Spice ☑️
Frances had me pissed throughout most of the book because she was so mean to Shannon. Ok, I know it’s a bully romance but damn 😫 their chemistry was definitely giving but idk if I could have forgiven Frances after what she did to Shannon about 80% into the story. Overall I enjoyed the storyline. Just enough angst and the spice was giving. I didn’t love this book but I was entertained. Frances got on my mf nerves. Sorry not sorry 😁
March 7, 2025
I wouldn’t call this a bully romance or go into it expecting major dark romance, it starts off that way but quickly turns to sweetness, misunderstandings and the justification/vulnerability on why she was self sabotaging and being so horrible.
A few spelling errors but I liked the writing and characters, the depth to their pasts, psychology and personalities.
A few spelling errors but I liked the writing and characters, the depth to their pasts, psychology and personalities.
December 13, 2023
“we’ll never get out alive.” / “as long as it's you i’m dying with.”
tryst six venom’s less explicit sister ft. faerie smut, sadism, and copious amounts of alcohol.
tryst six venom’s less explicit sister ft. faerie smut, sadism, and copious amounts of alcohol.
May 28, 2024
“‘Always ruining things for myself. Punishment, apparently. And I’ve punished Shannon. And you.’ I close my eyes, tears scorching my nose. ‘I want to do better now, though. I don’t want to be like this forever.’”
My feelings are so mixed. Like their relationship is so insanely toxic but to the point where they’re like addicted to one another…so I genuinely don’t know if I hate or love them. But individually as characters?! They’re both bad bitches and I absolutely love them.
Now my main issue with this is like…was there really any plot…? Or was it all smut…? Because genuinely I think the smut was the plot which I disliked. Something that is important to me is just the fact of “why should I care?” Why do I care if you’re bullying someone because you can’t deal with your emotions in the healthy way?
I also feel like these two didn’t talk about the WHY scene enough…like Shannon babe…what about that situation seems okay to you..? But whatever floats your boat I guess!
And unfortunately Frances is a relatable character for my ass. Whoops.
My feelings are so mixed. Like their relationship is so insanely toxic but to the point where they’re like addicted to one another…so I genuinely don’t know if I hate or love them. But individually as characters?! They’re both bad bitches and I absolutely love them.
Now my main issue with this is like…was there really any plot…? Or was it all smut…? Because genuinely I think the smut was the plot which I disliked. Something that is important to me is just the fact of “why should I care?” Why do I care if you’re bullying someone because you can’t deal with your emotions in the healthy way?
I also feel like these two didn’t talk about the WHY scene enough…like Shannon babe…what about that situation seems okay to you..? But whatever floats your boat I guess!
And unfortunately Frances is a relatable character for my ass. Whoops.
December 15, 2024
So yeah. Do I want to go to school with these people? No way. But did I enjoy reading this? Absolutely. The important thing to me is that the bullying comes from a place of pain not just from being outright mean or evil. And Frances certainly had both the pain and the good reason for it. (Her therapist, on the other hand? That person should be fired, or disbarred, or whatever they do to stop a therapist from being useless.)
Even once the instigating was past, both Frances and Shannon made mistakes… too stuck in their bad habits after so much time. And that seemed totally reasonable, even though it led to some pretty awful things. There’s no pain like psychological pain.
But… I knew what I was getting into. I enjoyed the journey and the way the whole story unfolded, and I was happy with the place they both got to in the end. Though again… very happy for it to be fictional :)
Even once the instigating was past, both Frances and Shannon made mistakes… too stuck in their bad habits after so much time. And that seemed totally reasonable, even though it led to some pretty awful things. There’s no pain like psychological pain.
But… I knew what I was getting into. I enjoyed the journey and the way the whole story unfolded, and I was happy with the place they both got to in the end. Though again… very happy for it to be fictional :)
March 13, 2024
okay ngl this felt like a Wattpad story at first, but you gotta push past it. The way the book was written and how the feelings were expressed were extremely juvenile, but I guess that’s how the teenagers were meant to be portrayed as. It had decent plot, but a lot of loopholes. I needed more on Adam, wtf does Frances’ dad do for a living, and whatever happened to Shannon’s family?? Whoever Frances’ therapist was, they need to get fired ASAP and have their license revoked bc they were clearly not doing a well enough job. FRANCES was going through it oml. It had a dark, sinister vibe to it, but it could’ve been better if the plot was more developed and if the story was better written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2024
This book is the reason I didn't sleep last night!
I thought I would just read a few chapters (he-he) but once you get to know Shan and Frances there's no way you getting out of it so easy. Both girls come with baggage; Frances can be incredibly dangerous when her feelings spin out of control, and Shan—she is a sweet redhead who is incredibly loyal even when it comes to her enemies (or rather to say, one enemy, aka Frances).
They hate each other, or so they think (maybe). And then they love each other to DEATH (quite literally).
This book is so perfectly balanced, never getting boring (NOT EVEN ONCE, IMAGINE).
LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! JUST FUCKING LOVED IT!
I thought I would just read a few chapters (he-he) but once you get to know Shan and Frances there's no way you getting out of it so easy. Both girls come with baggage; Frances can be incredibly dangerous when her feelings spin out of control, and Shan—she is a sweet redhead who is incredibly loyal even when it comes to her enemies (or rather to say, one enemy, aka Frances).
They hate each other, or so they think (maybe). And then they love each other to DEATH (quite literally).
This book is so perfectly balanced, never getting boring (NOT EVEN ONCE, IMAGINE).
LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! JUST FUCKING LOVED IT!
May 8, 2025
2,5⭐. Although my favourite trope is enemies to lovers, I can't say that I'm impressed with this particular book. Usually when I read a book I identify with one of the two main characters. This time that didn't happen. It was kinda of indifferent. I also thought the reason why one hated the other was stupid. I don't think it's plausible to hate someone so much because they remind you of someone you loved and lost.
The writing style is nice and easy on the eye. Of the two protagonists, I think the one was quite attractive while the other was immature and annoying. As much as I liked one of the main characters, it wasn't enough to make me feel like this story will be unforgettable.
The writing style is nice and easy on the eye. Of the two protagonists, I think the one was quite attractive while the other was immature and annoying. As much as I liked one of the main characters, it wasn't enough to make me feel like this story will be unforgettable.
December 31, 2024
Interesting take on bully romance!
I enjoyed this book it was definitely different from other books I read. The bully didn't struggle the whole time because she was finding out she was a lesbian. Frances and Shannon were known lesbians in the school. Frances was just battling her emotions constantly. It took a dark turn closer to the end that I wasn't expecting. Read it. It's different.
I enjoyed this book it was definitely different from other books I read. The bully didn't struggle the whole time because she was finding out she was a lesbian. Frances and Shannon were known lesbians in the school. Frances was just battling her emotions constantly. It took a dark turn closer to the end that I wasn't expecting. Read it. It's different.
January 11, 2026
3.5
I’ve read my fair share of books in this genre, so I had high expectations going in. Even so, I found it to be a quick and entertaining read. I really appreciated that the characters each had their own issues to work through independently. As I mentioned, the book had a lot to live up to, though that isn’t a fault of the story itself. I’m not new to this author and have enjoyed her previous work, so I’ll definitely continue reading whatever she releases next.
I’ve read my fair share of books in this genre, so I had high expectations going in. Even so, I found it to be a quick and entertaining read. I really appreciated that the characters each had their own issues to work through independently. As I mentioned, the book had a lot to live up to, though that isn’t a fault of the story itself. I’m not new to this author and have enjoyed her previous work, so I’ll definitely continue reading whatever she releases next.
March 16, 2025
'Tryst Six Venom' it aint, I don't think any book can surpass that brilliantly written book.
This 'Leech' just gave me the high school girls are bitches vibe. Some parts were good, others too jumbled up.
This 'Leech' just gave me the high school girls are bitches vibe. Some parts were good, others too jumbled up.
October 5, 2023
Cozy world-building. Complex characters. A lot of dialogue - which I adored. Super angsty, and just an all-around wonderful bully lez novel. I really could not put this one down.
January 4, 2024
This book was so toxic. Almost every character was unlikeable, but to be fair, the author did say the characters were going to be toxic.
February 4, 2024
Wow that was good, the climax was shocking though. 4.75 stars.
March 1, 2024
No he podido ni acabarlo.
March 3, 2024
Completely engaging. I love it when a story compels me to yell at my kindle, as if the characters can hear me. Very good read indeed.
October 14, 2024
Dark, intense and heated. It is everything you would want in a novel. The pacing is perfection and the characters are mysterious while also being loveable in their own way. Highly recommend.
December 14, 2024
i ate this up.. i love a good toxic love story every once in a while 🙂↕️☝🏽 especially sapphic
February 11, 2025
Great book
I’ve had my eye on this book for a while si I finally got it. I loved everything about this book. I really loved the growth of the characters.
I’ve had my eye on this book for a while si I finally got it. I loved everything about this book. I really loved the growth of the characters.
March 11, 2025
Omg, I loved every second of this book!!!!
May 1, 2025
another excellent book. I very much enjoyed it. well written and provides excellent detail to paint the perfect picture while reading. another book I'll be adding to the book shelf.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews