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Browse the Leech series by James Crawford in order, with book summaries, series background, and straightforward guidance on the best place to start.

Last updated: July 14, 2026

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Leech books in publication order

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3 books

1

Caleo

by James Crawford

2011

Seventeen-year-old Caleo Anima is Butler High's most visible outcast, hiding both his sexuality and the truth behind his strange appearance. When he learns he is the prize in a secret magical civil war, Caleo must protect his family and decide whom to trust.

2

Jack

by James Crawford

2013

Once Butler High's adored swim captain, Jack Barely has lost his home, grandmother, and possibly Caleo, the friend he loves. While protecting his twin sister Jillian in a shattered world, he risks everything to follow a rumor that Caleo survived.

3

Nolan

by James Crawford

2015

Once a high school standout, Nolan has lost his sight and learned that Leeches are real. Now he is determined to keep Caleo alive as new enemies emerge, the government enters the conflict, and the hunt for Caleo grows deadlier.

Leech books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Caleo"

    Caleo

    by James Crawford

    2011Leech, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Jack"

    Jack

    by James Crawford

    2013Leech, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Nolan"

    Nolan

    by James Crawford

    2015Leech, Book 3

Series background & context

The Leech series is a young adult fantasy trilogy about Caleo Anima, a teenager who has spent years feeling like he doesn't fit anywhere. At Butler High, his pale skin, white hair, and blue eyes make him an easy target. He is also quietly gay, which adds to his fear of being noticed for the wrong reasons.

Then Caleo learns that being different goes far beyond school gossip. A stranger reveals that he belongs to the Leeches, a hidden magical race divided by a civil war. Both sides are searching for a source of overwhelming power, and Caleo is caught at the center of that search. Suddenly, he has to learn about his abilities while deciding who is trying to help him, who wants to use him, and who would rather see him gone.

Being an outcast is only the beginning.

The first book, Caleo, sets up the close relationships that matter throughout the trilogy. Caleo's ties to Jack Barely and Jack's twin sister, Jillian, give the larger conflict a personal stake. They are not simply watching a distant war unfold. The danger reaches their home, their sense of safety, and the future they had expected to have together.

Jack changes the viewpoint to Jack, who had once been one of the most popular students at Butler High and captain of the swim team. After the Leeches attack, those old markers of status mean very little. Jack is focused on keeping Jillian alive and finding Caleo after hearing that he may have survived. His story brings friendship, grief, and romantic feelings into sharper focus while the larger struggle keeps closing in.

In Nolan, the series widens again. Nolan has lost his sight and knows the Leech world from a very different angle than Caleo and Jack. He is determined to see Caleo survive, but growing threats, new enemies, and government involvement make that task increasingly dangerous. The books build on one another, so the trilogy works best when read in publication order.

The series keeps its fantasy stakes close to the characters. Expect secret powers, shifting alliances, survival after disaster, and relationships tested by fear and uncertainty. Caleo is a gay lead, but the story treats his identity as one part of a fuller life that includes family, friendship, first love, and the hard work of deciding who to trust.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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