This was a fun slasher novel. It was well-written, but I struggled to like any of the characters. I'm a big of campy horror when done right, I see what the author was going for, but ultimately it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think the plot and characters were just a bit too surface level for me. This book may be fun for those looking for a light slasher for the Halloween season.

Your old college friends, a wellness retreat in the desert, and a man with a pickaxe chasing you in your dreams: what could go wrong?

After losing her fiancé on top of a mountain, the main character, Hannah, struggles with her day-to-day as a doctor in Los Angeles. She’s dependent on her prescribed medications, seeing hallucinations, and, well—almost killing patients.

So when she’s placed on leave and her BFF, Tess, invites her to a wellness retreat in the desert, she accepts. What comes next is a slurry of creative (and sometimes hilarious) Final Destination-esque deaths with the underpinned commentary on wellness culture in Los Angeles and cult behavior.

I think this is my favorite book of Brian’s yet! His dedication to character development in his stories makes the slasher genre a rich experience that brings readers back for more. I especially enjoyed the author’s note at the end about his introduction to the genre and growing up with horror.

This read is not to be missed! A perfect slasher through and through.

Congratulations, Brian! ☺️

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Wasn't that fun!
I was lucky enough to take part in the Camp NetGalley event with this book, and enjoyed every minute of it. This was such a fun, fast paced read. This book gave me the old, somewhat cheesy but still gory, slasher vibe I have always looked for.
It felt like a Freddy Kruger style, with the wilderness element of a Jason X story.
Oh also, I didn't expect the killer twist! I was honestly convinced throughout.
Loved it.

2.5★

No one is more disappointed than I am that I didn’t have a great time with this book. I mean who wouldn’t want a book with such an excellent cover and clever title on their shelves? Sadly, this is not a book I will be purchasing. The story itself was okay- 3 -star material- but the main character, Hannah, was the most annoying, idiotic, judgmental, contradictory character I’ve read about in a very long time and I just could not look past that. It takes a bit of the fun out of a slasher when you’re hoping the person you’re meant to be rooting for gets a pickaxe to the face, ya know? The icing on the cake being that I’m meant to believe this character is a doctor. That is laughable. Not to mention when you work in healthcare (I’m a nurse) the discrepancies in the medical setting are glaring and while it’s not that big of a deal it did take me out of the story. I can’t tell you the last time I saw a doctor administer a medication, whether via IV or by mouth, to a patient. It’s just not done. It will be the nurse administering your medication when you end up in the hospital. Of course once you read this book you’ll know why I bring this up. Anyway, got a little off topic there.

This story started out pretty slowly, it took a very long time to get to the actual slashing and when it finally came it didn’t land for me. I wasn’t scared and I didn’t like any of the characters so I didn’t care if they all died a bloody death. Well, there was one character I did like but his unfortunate association with Hannah and his belief in her as a decent human being results in his demise. I think everyone knows that nearly every character in a slasher story is going to die in some awful and twisted way so I don’t think that is a spoiler- I of course won’t name the character I’m referring to.

I’ll admit the deaths were unique; the author really leaned in to all the ways the tools of spirituality can cause some serious harm. And there were a few lines at the very end of the book that made me laugh. I also felt compelled to finish the story just because I obviously needed to know who the killer was even if I didn’t give a crap about the people they were eviscerating. That pretty much sums up all the positives I can muster for this book. As for the reveal at the end, it was a stretch to say the least. I appreciated that the author tried to avoid the villain monologue but he was not very successful and the reasoning the killer tries to impart was a real leap. Like, what? It was absurd. The ending was messy, I think there were three different people revealed to be the killer, followed by a “sike!” in a three-page span before the actual reveal was made. It was almost as if the author couldn’t decide what trope he wanted to go with so he figured he’d try them all out and just see what stuck. Not a good look.

I definitely expected more from a book with such an excellent title and from an author with so much experience under his belt in the horror genre, both film and print. As much as I didn’t care for this book I can’t really say that I don’t recommend it. I think a lot of the things I didn’t care for in this story are things that are specific to me and my tastes. I don’t feel this is a book people should run out to get their hands on but I’m sure there are plenty of people out there that will enjoy this story- but it definitely wasn’t the one for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of this novel.

This sort of horror— set at wellness retreats, health spas, etc.— isn’t the sort of horror I usually go for. I actually tend to not go for it because all of that makes me roll my eyes and makes the story less enjoyable. That being said, I decided to give it a try this time.
It was definitely still a struggle sometimes, I hated every second of the actual wellness activities being played out, but the fact that Hannah started waking up to the bullshit, too, made it more tolerable. That being said, the deaths in this book were gross, they were gory, they were memorable. Exactly the kind of deaths I love in slasher films.
Is this a deep book that’s going to answer life’s questions? No. But is it fun? Absolutely. And sometimes that’s all I’m looking for, is a fun slasher with a pretty good twist and a badass final girl.

Breathe In, Bleed Out is what happens when your healing retreat turns into a slasher film, and you didn’t pack running shoes.

Brian McAuley blends horror with wellness culture in a way that feels fresh, unhinged, and way too real. Between the hot springs, sound baths, and suspiciously serene guru, I was never sure if we were heading toward a breakthrough or a breakdown, and that’s the fun of it.

Hannah is a haunted, unreliable narrator in all the best ways. You’re never sure what’s real, who to trust, or when the blood will start spilling, but when it does? It goes there. The desert setting is eerie and isolating, and the creeping dread builds until it bursts.

Why not 5 stars? A few reveals felt a tiny bit rushed, and some of the supporting characters didn’t hit as hard as they could’ve—but that didn’t stop me from flying through this one.

If you like:
☀️ Midsommar vibes
🔪 Slasher horror with heart
🧘‍♀️ Trauma, grief, and guru-level manipulation
…this one should be on your list.

I loved this book so much! This is the 4th published book from Brian McAuley with the first being Curse of the Reaper in 2022. Breath In, Bleed Out is being published by Poisoned Pen Press and will release on 09/02/2025. I was graciously provided this advanced reader's copy of this book, and I am so thankful for this opportunity. To say that I was inspired by a horror novel is saying a lot because this book had so much depth and left me thinking about deeper issues in the human experience. I went in not knowing anything about the premise or the author, just knowing the title and seeing the beautiful cover on NetGalley. This book begins with the main character, Hannah, who comes back alone from a wilderness journey without her fiancé Ben and no one but Hannah knows how Ben died. She is struggling with grief and is presented with an opportunity to go on a wellness retreat by her best friend Tess. This is where all the horror begins, and you are introduced to Pax who is the Guru of the wellness retreat at the end of Dead Man's Due. You are brought on this journey with Hannah and there are so many twists and turns that make this book so good. Not only is this book a good slasher, but it also hits on social issues, "Two hundred dollars for an oversized doily? That's not spiritualism. That's Capitalism". Even with the social commentary, which I personally think is the best part of this book, the writing is so good. You have several things so well written, like, "The darkness welcomes me back like an old friend, all bundled up in sheep's clothing", that you are seeing this book like it is a horror film. This is one of the best books I have read in 2025, and I am so thankful to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and mostly importantly, the author, Brian McAuley for being able to read this story.

Slasher horror with a side of camp.
Hannah, a doctor who has spent the last year dealing with hallucinations after her fiancé’s death, decides to join her friends in Joshua Tree for a healing retreat after she is benched for accidentally overdosing a patient. While she faces her demons and her own mind, she also has to fight for her life when her friends start disappearing.

This truly was a fun book that leans into all the horror tropes while keeping things fresh. The retreat and guru is a mismatched blur of other cultural traditions that have been whitewashed for general consumption. We see discussion in the book about how problematic this kind of practice is. We see the spectrum of personalities and issues of each character as we go. They all face some sort of challenge that humanizes them. I also love that the author makes references to other franchises in a fun way. The ☠️ scenes were gruesome and creative and paced really well. There was just enough misdirection and twistyness that I was kept on my toes.

There are also deep discussions of mental health, trauma, and trusting oneself. I really felt for Hannah and she was easy to root for.

Overall this was a great, fun read that I would love to see on the big screen some day!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 - Thank you so much to Camp NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the complimentary copy!

This book will be released on Sept 2nd.

I have never read this author before but I have seen him from a few horror bookstagrammers and the opportunity came to read this, I couldn't help. but snagit. And wow, this book was such a fun time!!

"What if I'm so shaken up that I can't be unshaken?"
"You're a human being Hannah. Not a martini."

The book kicks off with Hannah pulling her fiance through the snow. But we don't know exactly what has happened except that he is dead. Hannah is grieving the loss of her fiance and being haunted by her ex. She sees a therapist but after an incident at work it has caused her to take a step back. Her friend asked if she wanted to join her and some of their other friends to a few days at a wellness camp. With consulting her therapist they both agreed that this is what she needs to reset and to wan off the medication. Only things aren't what they seem and Hannah is questioning everything.

It hard to talk about specifics of the book because I don't want to give away anything. At no point was I confident in who to pinpoint who was behind all the killings. I was so sure it was going to be one thing but McAuley had me second guessing myself. I felt the pacing of this was quick and I like that the chapters were on the shorter side. It felt like I was zooming through because I needed to know what was going to happen next. Did I ask myself some questions once the reveals happened? Yes but I still felt like it was a fun read (we rate based off vibes and not logistics).

I recommend this book if you love unreliable narrator, secluded location, cult vibes and an overall fun thriller/horror!

PS - I also am a fan of reading author's notes and acknowledgements and I thought McAuley provided such extra content on the making of this book as well as inside into who he is.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It delivered a gripping blend of suspense and mystery, with just the right touch of classic slasher vibes that gave it an old-school charm. The pacing kept me hooked, and the twists were clever enough to keep me guessing. It’s the kind of story that lingers after you’ve turned the last page—dark, atmospheric, and thoroughly entertaining. Definitely one I can see myself recommending to friends who enjoy a good, chilling read with a nostalgic edge.

A peaceful journey of self-discovery quickly descends into a violent fight for self-preservation when a mysterious killer starts picking off retreat attendees in increasingly gruesome ways. A blood soaked thriller set at a remote healing retreat that will keep you guessing to the very end. Terrifying and visceral.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧, 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐀𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐲

In “Breathe In, Bleed Out,” Hannah is a Xanax-dependent med student struggling with the death of her fiancé. Haunted by images of him and in trouble at her job, she accepts a friend’s invitation to a relaxing wilderness retreat. Until her friends start getting murdered.

This book was a really mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the lore building of the local ghost story and the spooky chases and ghost/killer appearances. However, the characters fell flat for me and the killer reveal at the end wasn’t super satisfying to me.

All of the characters fit into classic slasher archetypes (the macho aggressive man, the artsy lesbian, the one dating the aggressive macho man, the good guy love interest, and the traumatized main girl that everyone thinks is crazy), which I feel led to their characters being one-dimensional. With an out-of-nowhere killer reveal, that only kind of made sense to me, it just fell a little flat at the end. I’d still recommend to anyone who loves a good slasher movie!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley, and Brian McAuley for the eARC!

annah is dealing with the trauma of watching her finance die. She is barely hanging on at work, isolating herself from her friends, and reliving that awful day. As an escape, her friends take her on an exclusive retreat to reset and heal. The murder picking off her friends one by one has other plans.

This was so fun. I loved all of this. Was some of it ridiculous? Of course! It's a slasher! I would absolutely recommend this to horror fans who want to have a good time! Get ready for me to backlist Brian's books!

Exciting, suspenseful, twisty! Definitely gives Scream vibes. Love the Taylor Swift references. Definitely recommend for. a fun slasher read.

This slasher story had me hooked from the beginning with so many twists and turns! I was second guessing myself throughout the entire book. Based in Southern California in the remote desert surrounded by Joshua trees this dysfunctional group of friends are fighting for their lives.

Our main girl Hannah has been struggling to release her demons after she comes back from a harrowing wilderness journey without her fiancé Ben. She has pushed away her friends and begun to have vivid hallucinations of her fiancé. In an attempt to take back control of her life she agrees to go to a spiritual retreat. What starts as a peaceful weekend reconnecting with herself and friends quickly transforms into a much more sinister situation culminating in a night she’s unlikely to ever forget.

I'm new to this author, so maybe his writing style isn't for me.
Let's start there.
The writing was very basic and not engaging. We start off with a bang and then the language is very simple, basic and wasn't engaging.

The story had potential. You were kept guessing the whole time. I mean even the FMC was guessing the whole time, so it was cool to see it from first person's point of view. However, the story just didn't hit. At one point the writing was so simple it gave McFadden book vibes. But didn't land.

The characters felt like they were out of a typical slasher movie and we had each type of character we would typically see in a slasher movie. If this were an open door book, the obligatory "boob shot" would have definitely debuted.

Overall, I liked the book enough to finish it, just as well as I keep watching Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

This completely wrecked me, in the best way. It’s raw, dark, and terrifying, but also deeply emotional. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. The mix of addiction, recovery, and supernatural horror was so unique and powerful. It got under my skin and stayed there. I loved every second of this brutal, brilliant book and this one stays with you long after the final page. One of the wildest rides filled with twists I’ve read all year.

- rehab meets horror
- raw, messy, unhinged
- trauma, addiction, and ghosts
- couldn’t stop reading, couldn’t stop feeling
- if you like dark & disturbing…this is it

one thing about me is i LOVE a (well executed) campy slasher book or movie. when i read that this was pitched as scream meets midsommar (two of my favorite movies), i was SO excited. unfortunately, this one was not for me.

the writing was simultaneously simple yet very explain-y and the reader is continuously “told” rather than “shown.” i saw a fellow reviewer describe this as a horror movie being mansplained, and i have to fully agree there.

i found the characters to all be quite insufferable and the ending twists/resolution felt over the top & cheesey. the motives behind the retreat and the killer seemed a bit goofy and i would have liked better explanations or even different reasonings entirely.

if you’re looking for a quick, campy slasher that gives you all the vibes of a low budget horror movie - you’ve come to the right place. though i did not enjoy this fully, it kept me relatively entertained throughout and my gripes were not due to boredom.

Buckle up, because Breathe In, Bleed Out is a wild ride.

This reads just like a slasher film. It’s visceral, fast-paced and full of twists and turns. It brings so much to the table, while respecting the rules of the slasher genre. There are stories to unravel, ulterior motives and a whole lot of yoga.

This was a lot of fun, truly a fun candy horror read!

I've really been enjoying Brian McAuley's books, and I can't wait to see what he writes next. As for "Breathe In, Bleed Out," it's exciting and a horror movie reference gold mine. I loved the setting. If you're a slasher fan, check this one out for sure.