Breathe In, Bleed Out is a good horror with true old slasher movie vibes. It's a good read if you can get into it. Unfortunately, I struggled to get fully immersed. It was difficult for me to connect to the characters, even the MC, and the retreat setting didn't really help. It's entertaining enough, just wasn't my favorite.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Brian McAuley for this read.

This book was a very fast read for me. I really love these resort gone bad kind of books. The book was very engaging, never was bored, and the plot progressed in a reasonable manner. The ending was pretty good. I didn't expect what happened...that's for sure. Like I knew part of what happened how it was going to end but who and the other what...naw.

Plot: The setting was good for the plot. The main character was invited on a retreat by her estranged best friend. The main character lost her boyfriend due to a freak accident during a trip a year before and the friend thought she could use the retreat. A few other friends (and their partners) were invited as well. This retreat isn't what it seems. The friends start disappearing one by one and are the people in charge of the retreat really who they say they are. There are good twists and turns.

Characters: The characters have good growth and most have good backstories. All of them have a purpose towards progressing the plot.

Setting: Very good rural desert setting...great for the plot. 4.5 stars, rounded to 5 stars.

I loved this slasher book. This would have to be one of my guilty pleasure type of genres of books because they always give me that same satisfaction at the end when we find out who the killer is.
This book is extremely fast paced, and had me questioning the entire time about Hannah's story, like did she potentially kill Ben her fiancee? The reveal of what really happened had me a little shocked! Now for the killer around the retreat, I unfortunately suspected who it could've been from the very start, but I guess that does come with the fact I've read a lot of thrillers and the signs were there.
Overall, I enjoyed this.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Everything you could want in a slasher book! It read as if a movie was playing in my head. I loved everything about this book. The characters were relatable (mostly). Exactly the kind of characters you would expect in a slasher. I loved the idea of a wellness retreat gone wrong. These events are definitely not what one would expect to happen on a weekend meant for unwinding and “transcending”. Throw in some creepy folklore and it’s the perfect recipe!

My favorite things about Breathe In, Bleed Out were the two most important elements in any slasher (in my opinion): the killings and misdirection. The killings were tastefully written with just the right amount of gore. And just when you think you know who the killer is, you find out you’re wrong!

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book!

This book couldn’t have come at a better time for me as I’ve begun doing yoga again. THIS is how you do a fun, campy, gory slasher book! I will definitely be reading more of this authors work, his humor style is perfect for me and the plot was so fast paced and the kills were chilling. Brings a whole new meaning to shavasana, corpse pose.

I really loved the psychological aspect to this book too. You really couldn’t tell what was real or imagined by the main character in certain scenes which added to the intrigue and spookiness. Read this if you like slasher movies, essential oils, messed up local legends, and making fun of pretentious Cali yogis.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a wild ride this book was! I was HOOKED from page one! A year after her boyfriend’s death, Hannah is still having nightmares and hallucinations. When she slips up and gets suspended from her job at the hospital, Hannah seeks counsel from her psychiatrist and goes on a spiritual retreat with a group of friends. Things seem off from the get-go, but when her friends begin to disappear, Hannah has to wonder what is really going on in the desert? I COULD NOT put this book down! Five stars!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for the pleasure to read Brian McAuley's slash-tastic horror at Camp NetGalley this year 😱👏🏻

This well-structured, suspenseful and captivating story takes us on quite the "spiritual awakening" that we will never forget, and through the perspective of our MC Hannah—as she deals with personal loss and that complied grief that weighs on top when losing a loved one... Oh, and also combine that with the added layer of a mysterious killer? at a sus healing retreat?! You couldn't ask for a better slasher set-up! 🔪🖤

Such a visceral reading experience and what an intriguing way to have the story unfold! 👀

(Also, a big fan of Down Bad by Taylor Swift, too 🫣🌌—IYKYK)

A fun campy slasher set in the desert PLUS an amazing cover sign me up!

Hannah has been dealing with her grief after her fiancé death she is struggling at work and in her personal life when one day her best friend invites her to a spiritual retreat. While at the retreat Hannah tries to reset but she soon finds out that won’t be possible.

I love a good slasher but sadly this one just didn’t work for me. I really didn’t like any of the characters the main character Hannah was okay-ish but not great but I keep pushing through hoping that the slashing and the reveal of who had been doing the slashing would win me over but it sadly didn’t.

I would recommend this book if you are new to the slasher genre or if you want a quick read.

This was an arc that was sent to me by the publisher but my review is always my own.

Breathe In, Breathe Out follows after the mysterious death of the main character, Hannah's fiancee about a year prior. Hannah and her friends go off to a (sketchy!) healing retreat as a way for Hannah to move on. There is a killer wearing people's faces on the prowl with a pick axe so there was a bit of gore!

The book had a strong start for me and the characters felt pretty realistic. However, I thought it would be more action-packed than it was given the shorter length. I found the killer identity reveal and their reasoning quite underwhelming.

What I did like is the author's writing and the way the truth of how Ben, Hanna's fiancee, died. It was an interesting and different twist on what the author leads you to believe.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy to review.

This author's other books have been on my tbr and I was lucky enough to get this net galley review copy so I started here. Breathe In, Bleed Out combines a fun slasher whodunit with psychological and grief horror and is a book I'd recommend to anyone looking for something in those horror sub genres. I enjoyed it and I didn't see that coming!

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a really fun and gory slasher. I also just love the title. We follow Hannah who gets dragged to a spiritual retreat after the death of her fiancé, Ben. Hannah has been retreating from her friends and popping way more Xanax than she should be. Oh and on top of that she sees her dead fiancé hanging around and terrorizing her. When Hannah starts questioning the motives of woo-woo Guru Pax and his retreat are her suspicions warranted or is she completely paranoid?

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a quintessential homage to every slasher film you’ve ever seen, complete with a messy protagonist, twists you’ll never see coming, and all set in the backdrop of a sketchy wellness retreat in Joshua Tree. One thing about me is that I am a horror fiend. Watching Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street were fundamental parts of my pop culture education. In this book, Brian McAuley pulls all of the best parts from horror classics into a modern slasher classic. Fans of Scream, Friday the Thirteenth, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Criminal Minds, yoga, and investigating cults will love this book! To say I devoured it is an understatement. Slaymen.

I found Breathe In Bleed Out to be predictable, but I had such a good time reading this one that it doesn’t matter. There was a nice balance between being unsettled and moments that called back to comedic timing of horror of the 90s. It was intense, but I was also laughing at so many one-liners and could definitely see how Brian McAuley was inspired by his love of slashers, namely Scream. I think this would translate well on the Big Screen - it was so easy to visualize things playing out and made me feel like I truly was a main character. I look forward to seeing what this author has in store for readers in the future!

WOW! I love slasher films and it’s clear to me that Brian McAuley does as well. “Breathe In, Bleed Out” contains all of the elements needed for a great slasher - the final girl, bloody kill scenes, and an interesting backstory. I did think there was a bit of a slow start but once it picked up it really picked up. The kill scenes were creative and well done and the ending was very satisfying! Highly recommend.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

My first #NetGalleyCamp pick and OMG what a bloody blast! Think “Midsommar meets Scream” with a healthy dose of hallucinogens and horror. Hannah’s still reeling from her fiancé’s gruesome death on a hiking trip, so what better idea than a healing retreat in the middle of the desert? This secluded retreat is offered to her and her friend group and is so exclusive it’s invite only. Sound baths, yoga, hot springs… oh, and a killer picking off her friends one by one in the most gloriously gruesome and bloody ways. This is a love letter to classic slasher horror—campy, creepy, and soaked in blood. If you grew up on Freddy, Jason, and Ghostface, you need this book on your radar. I devoured every chaotic, scream-worthy page.

This was such a wild ride, and I devoured it! Breathe In, Bleed Out follows Hannah, who is still trying to cope with the death of her fiance. When she's invited to go to a wellness resort in Joshua Tree, she agrees - but has no idea what she's really in for. This is a slasher film in book form, with all the blood and gore you'd expect. But there's plenty of spunk from Hannah, which leads to both some much-needed humor and a desire to cheer her on through this bloody mess. While a couple of the characters felt a little too stereotypical, I generally enjoyed the character development and twists. This was my first read by this author, and I am excited to read more from this author!

The knives come out faster than the chakras can align. 😂 this twisted retreat-from-hell thriller. Think Midsommar meets Scream, but with hot springs and sound baths and it actually works. Hannah’s trauma is raw, the vibes are cursed, and the tension builds fast once the retreat starts spiraling into a spiritual slaughterhouse.
I went in expecting spooky wellness cult weirdness, and left with a full on slasher that wasn’t afraid to get nasty. Genuinely unsettling in places, with enough bite and brutal honesty about grief and guilt to keep it grounded. If you like your horror with heart, horror with teeth, and horror that hates influencers just a little this one’s for you. #bookrecs #bookrecommendations thank you @netgalley for this wonderful camp netgalley choice for the summer !! It was everything #bookreview #books #reading #reader

thank u thank u to @netgalley , @poisonedpenpress & horror mastermind @brianmcwriter for the chance to read this summer slasher early! ❤️‍🔥

now let’s get into my FIRST EVER advanced readers copy 🥹 (swipe to see a blurb on the book!)

this book left me saying “just one more chapter…” well into the middle of the night reading, and if u can get me reading past my bedtime, u know it’s a good book! (i take my sleep very seriously lol)

but i read mcauleys CANDY CAIN KILLS (both 1 & 2) during the winter holiday season and have been craving another book by them— and boy oh boy did i get the perfect summer slasher horror read!

this story was fast paced, witty, and brutal. mix in some cult vibes at a summer healing retreat with an unknown killer and you got what i think is the perfect summer slasher!

READ IF U ENJOY:
🔪 a killer on the loose
🌀 unpredictable twists
🩸 body horror
✨ cult vibes

🩸 if u haven’t already, get out a pen and your calendar and mark down SEPT 2nd 2025 as the pub date for this killer book! (& thank me later)🩸

but phew! a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book! (rounding up from my 4.5 star rating on fable)

I really enjoyed Breathe In, Bleed Out! It had such a classic slasher feel that pulled me in right from the start, and I loved the tension, the eerie atmosphere, and the creeping sense that danger was around every corner.

The book was the perfect length—not too long or too short—and I flew through it wanting to see who would make it out alive. The only thing that stopped this from being a 5-star read for me was that there was a lot going on at times, making it a bit hard to keep track of everything. But honestly, that’s such a small thing when the vibe and pacing were so on point.

If you love slashers with high tension, fast pacing, and a fun, eerie setting, I definitely recommend picking this one up. Perfect for when you’re in the mood for something creepy but not too heavy!

4.5 stars rounded up.
Midsommar meets Scream is the perfect description for this horror book. It was a bloody, trippy, transcendent good time! The twists and turns had me gasping and I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time. Loved this!
Thanks to netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!