This really did feel like a fever dream. Although its short, it had my attention from start to finish. Its a kind of psychohorror I enjoy (minus the insects).

I would suggest checking the TW/CW before reading if inclined.
I was drawn in by the interesting description of The Patient Routine, and it was a quick and engaging read. The story touched on sensitive issues and made me question what was real and what was in the main character's mind. The book was quite graphic, which I found exciting, and it dealt with heavy topics too. I liked its uniqueness, with sections organized by time instead of regular chapters. However, I struggled with the layout of the words, making it hard to read smoothly due to the scattered text on the pages.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC

I have read many summaries that say the book is like a fever dream but never have I agreed with that assertion but in The Patient Routine by Lunary Haul his execution of a panicky over sensitized paranoid patient Aston who is just perfect. He goes to see the doctor it worries about everything from the patient having surgery to the doctor and when the hospital goes on lockdown his paranoia hits 1000 this is a great book and one I found very entertaining and although it isn’t very long it is very interesting I usually get annoyed when a character is paranoid or panicky but found Ashton to be very likable and even lovable it’s a great book and one I highly recommend I love the authors books and can’t wait for the next one. I want to think Net Galley and Bridget Gates press please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Two and a half, actually, but I will always round up for queer voices writing from the heart, because deep down, warts and all, that's what this is.
I get what the author is trying to do, with the stream of consciousness and the verse writing, but for me it didn't work; it was WAY too long to be done exclusively in verse and chaos. No matter the turmoil in a character's head, the reader needs some kind of structure to navigate the plot. Because there is a plot, by the way. I strongly believe that in a more extended form, with verse strictly rationed, I'd have gone nuts for this one. I can see, however, that plenty of people are already going nuts for this wee gem, so maybe it's just me.
My recommendation? Give it a go. Life is too short to bypass a 70-odd page story that may end up your next favorite thing.

This was a haunting story about a person named Ashton who believes they are dying. It's gross with body and insect horror, Ashton's hallucinations are scary and would have anybody running for the hills.

I had to dnf about 20% of the way in. I’m not sure if it was just my Kindle, but the format was all jumbled and I had a hard time reading it. I think I would have really enjoyed this one, but with a physical copy instead.

This was a hard to read story - not because of the subject matter, though the transphobia was all too real - but mostly because of the writer's stylistic choices. It was disorienting both in the context of the story but also to myself as a reader, and there were significant chunks where I simply couldn't pay attention or understand what was being said.

Overall, there was a vast, well-done amount of anxiety and gore, but I personally feel it was let down a little by the style choice.

This was an extremely visceral and panic stricken read. I enjoyed it a lot at first, it lost me a bit in the middle but it had a good ending. It was written in an interesting type of prose. The anxiety and panic of the character was very well described and you really felt for the character.

This was not quite what I was hoping for. It tells the story of Ashton Reed, who's checked into the ER at, quite frankly, the worst time they could have chosen to do so.
Based on the given summary, I was hoping for Psychological Horror, maybe a touch of Body Horror. Most of what I got though, was not that. The most horrifying thing, I think, was a reminder of just how colossally the medical system fails people on a daily basis. Ashton was quite clearly suffering from some kind of mental health crisis, and was neglected by people who wouldn't even respect their pronouns.
Yes, there were scenes that were more on the body horror lines- the description of the bug was very good in that regard, and I would have wanted more of it. It just felt like it was overshadowed by the more mundane parts in my mind. Maybe this was on purpose? I don't know.
I also know that some of the formatting weirdnesses were on purpose, although it seemed like some of them weren't displaying properly on my Kindle, which made it hard to read some of what was going on on the right hand side of the page.

One hell of an experience.
Body horror, thriller, an unreliable narrator. "the patient routine" tells the story of Ashton, or one of their stories, as they take yet another trip to the ER after their body convinced them that something is wrong and they are dying. But this time, this trip to supposed safety seems to have been the wrong choice, when an incredibly sick patient is brought in and soon after the entire hospital is set under quarantine.

Written in a lyrical form, constantly playing with words and their constellation, almost painting words onto the pages at times, this reads like an amazing combination. There was a moment where I had to put the book aside and take a break for a moment because the body horror got too much, which to me is positive, because I haven't had a book do that to me in a while.
I loved how at no point it was actually clear whether what Ashton was telling us is real, or a hallucination. I'm still not sure what was and what wasn't, though probably, most of this was a product of Ashton's mind. Even though they are very aware of their mental faults and questioning things themself often enough. And we are one hundret percent inside Ashton's mind, see only what they see, or think they are seeing, and get the constant interjections of the other voice that speaks within their mind.

This is definitely the kind of book that you can read more into, that you can analyze and tear apart, it's beautiful, and horrible, and smartly written, and I want more like it.

Wow it was delightfully dark... very dark body horror mixed with mental problems. I have never read such a book in my life. I recommend this to readers who like their books morbid and gruesome.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity and free arc.

I didn't finish this book. Im sure that this book is for some people but it wasn't for me. I think the formatting was definitely different and maybe that's why it wasn't for me. I do think the idea behind this book is good and people are gonna enjoy this book or already do. Just wasn't for me.

well no. i didn’t like the perspective of her thoughts and inner monologue as it was. i got sooooo confused by the end of the book and i don’t fully understand how it ends.

I really wanted to like this book because it had a cool premise and an interesting style but it was hard to follow and felt more like rambling inside someone’s head. I do think it has an audience out there but I am not it. Also tons of really gross imagery so be careful if you’re squeamish.

I am not sure what to say about this book, it had a lot of potential, but it just feel short for me. I could see what the author was going for, but I felt like the execution just didn't meet the mark. I liked the idea of the story, and the twists and turns throughout. I was not a fan of how it was written however. I'm sure there is an audience for that style of writing, I am just not that target audience.

Deeply affectatious, brilliantly contained and with formatting that draws the reader in, "The Patient Routine" is an excellent foray and dive into horrors of the body and the stressors that effect it in and out! It will crawl beneath your skin and lead you on a riveting journey to the end! I highly recommend it, and can't wait to delve into Luna Rey Hall's other works!

I wanted to love this book, it sounds exactly like a book I would love.

The writing style is unique, set out like you’re thinking these things (the character anyway) and it makes the pace of the book speed up.

Unfortunately, it fell flat for me and I couldn’t connect to the character. I did like some of the horrific bits though.

Please check trigger warnings before picking this book up.

This book kept me on my toes from the very beginning! Quick, easy read that did NOT disappoint!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my ARC!

4.5*

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

What can I saw but wow! A horror written in long-form verse from the perspective of Aston as they enter a hospital. The author does a beautiful job of describing the main characters feelings, I had to stop mid verse and call a friend to read them a second because it was so well written. With that being said, Ashton is a lot sometimes and man did I go back and forth with liking and hating them 😅. The writing is so intentional, the more you get to know Ashton, the more they make sense, which is great because it’s written as a stream of consciousness and it can be hard to tell what’s just in Ashton’s versus really happening. And if I’m not mistaken, the book takes place in a single day?? Lastly the format. I know it won’t be for some but it really worked for me. It reminded me of Ellen Hopkins books that I read in high school, a nice bit of nostalgia to add the the experience 🥰.

The patient routine is filled with body horror, some unsettling imagery, mental illness, some nods to how bad the US healthcare system is, LGBTQIA+ struggles (the disrespect with the pronouns floored me 🙃), and so much more. I honestly flew through it once I actually sat down to read it versus picking it up here and there. I’m so stoked I got to read this. Thanks so much to Luna Rey Hall for sharing this work. I need more of a backlog because I’m obsessed now.

The Patient Routine was just an okay book for me, I had to actually DNF the book because it just didn't capture my interest. I think it would be better suited for others, just wasn't for me.