This was a great read!

The title immediately caught my attention when I first saw it. The first chapter had me hooked instantly. The story was well-written, making it easy to follow what was happening. The characters were each well-developed and entertaining. It was easy to like the characters. It was very good read and it is a book I recommend giving a try.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Brian McAuley for the free book!

“Not every experience needs to be captured. It’s important to remember that your first love was the sound itself, not a secondhand recording.”

Summerween has never been so good. Haunted by her finance’s death on a harrowing wilderness trip, Hannah shelters herself away from everyone and everything she knows, depending on pills to dull her pain. When her friend group goes on a wilderness retreat run by a guru, mysterious and slightly cult-like activities make her question whether she’s sane or gone crazy from trauma. Will Hannah confront her demons and her past, or will it and the strange events at the camp catch up to her?

“What if I’m so shaken up that I can’t be unshaken? You’re a human being, Hannah. Not a martini.”

If you are a horror fan, especially a slasher fan like me, especially if Scream is your favourite scary movie like mine, you need to read this book.

It’s intellectual yet funny; dripping with gore and spiritualism.

“Two hundred dollars for an oversized doily? That’s not spiritualism. That’s capitalism.”

The storyline is to die for. Sorry, I had to. And I had no idea who or what was at the end of the book, or even the next chapter. It kept me on my toes the whole time.

What an amazingly fun read. Unputdownable. Five stars.

“I think the only question that matters is what you believe. Because if it’s real to you, then it’s just fucking real, right?”

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely phenomenal! This one definitely brought me back to the eighties slasher hey day! I love a good slasher and this one absolutely fit the bill! I loved all the characters and they all fit the story so well! You have the jock, the mean girl/pretty girl, the witchy girl, the odd girl on the outskirts of the group, and the guy who has a crush on the odd girl on the outskirts of the group. Every slasher sterotype filled. And of course, you have the people outside of the group who end up getting pulled into the madness. So good! It had all the gory hallmarks of a slasher with incredibly inventive ways to die! I know that sounds really weird, but it was all done so well and kept me turning the pages until the very end! This is my first time reading anything from this author, but it definitely won’t be my last!

Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Satisfying horror story with a great twist at the end. Hannah is suffering from nightmares and tension after the death of her fiancé. It’s affecting her job. She’s invited to retreat of sorts out in the desert by her friend, Tess, to cleanse and renew her spirit. Arriving at the site, it initially appears the regime is helping her but some of her friends are disappearing and nightmares of a different sort are occurring. No spoilers here; you have to read the book to find out more. You won’t be disappointed. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of those book.

3.5 stars

I did not see that end coming, this is my first horror book
I expected to feel really scared but I didnt, so maybe this is my sign to read more horror

I enjoyed this story, and this touched on grief and healing and how much grief if left untreated can bleed into our daily lives and upend it.

I am not really a yoga person but I love its representation with healing.

I loved the writing style but it was a slow read. I expected it to be more fast paced being that it was a horror book

I will highly recommend this book to someone started off there horror book journey

“Hannah: You're alive! Tess: I really love that to stop being a surprise.”

An interesting read that's short and starts, strangely enough, with the death, but not the slasher kind. Hannah's fiancée (Ben) has died in an accident while they were on a planned hike, and she's been haunted by this ever since.

Couple this with a careless mistake at work, and Hannah needs some peace, so she decided to join her friends at a wellness retreat in Joshua Tree.

Hannah's college friends have diverse personalities, ranging from one extreme to the other, which is typical in most slasher stories. You get a glimpse at all the players, and you can instantly determine who’s biting it first.

At this point, Hannah is still seeing her dead fiancé, but she's finding that yoga and meditation are helping a little, but some things don’t sit right. Still, Hannah likes the reprieve; she enjoys the desert even though all is not what it seems.

The leader, Pax (Paul), is an odd duck, and his friends agree that his laid-back nature is strange. As the reader, you are immediately drawn to this, and one can assume that he’s the killer, but that reasoning doesn’t make sense because there’s money to be made from his guests.

The revealed killer has no placement within the realm of the story, and I wonder if this was rushed. However, our protagonist would gain closure on what happened to her, and Ben and he would haunt her no more.

This story didn't fall into the trope of having the final girl, which I can enjoy. Since these are all adults, all those dots can be checked off the list of the slasher's typical "final-girl" character. (Yes, they've lived a little) There are also some holes in the story because we don't really learn what happens to Hannah's career, and it's left out there, twisting in the wind.

It's not that I found this story confusing, but the killer is not believable. We know in slasher stories that killings are random and make no sense, but in a novel, you need some context.

The pacing of the story is good, and I read this a little faster than usual because it was interesting and I wanted to learn more. I was hoping for more meat on the bone because even meaningless kills need to make sense.

This title wasn't terrible, but it wasn't exactly my fav as slashers go. It IS graphic, violent, and just the right amount of gore, so you know exactly how each character met their fate. This was an OK read, 3.75 ✨.

I'm typically not a slasher girly, but I had a good time with this book. It is tightly paced and entertaining throughout which is much appreciated as I feel like I have been reading an increasing number of books that are drawn out. I enjoyed how the author incorporated modern themes/issues of wellness culture, cultural appropriation, and capitalist greed into the horror of the story. Unfortunately, I will say I didn't love the characters in this book. While I appreciated them being flawed human beings, at times their frustrating and shitty behavior outweighed me caring about what was happening to them. Overall though, I thought this book was a fun slasher ride.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for early access.

A remote desert retreat. A haunted heroine. A mysterious killer targeting guests one by one. Breathe In, Bleed Out had all the ingredients I for a good horror: cultish undertones, isolation, unresolved trauma, and a promise of catharsis through bloodshed. I flew through this in just over three hours, but the payoff didn’t quite live up to the premise.

From the beginning, there’s a slow-burn tension around the death of Hannah’s fiancé on a past wilderness trip. The mystery deepens with flashbacks, trauma-induced hallucinations, and the creeping sense that something darker occurred than what we’re being told. Unfortunately, the final reveal lands with more of a shrug than a scream. Without spoiling too much: the cause of death isn’t as sinister as it seems, and the emotional fallout feels out of proportion to what actually happened. I kept waiting for a second twist, something that reframed her guilt or added psychological weight, but it never came. Hannah, girl, he was a garden-variety jerk, let it go!

Character logic is scattered, the book is dialogue-heavy, and everyone's constantly angry for no real reason. Are these people really friends? Shouldn't I want to root for the final girl, for someone?

The “big bad” twist relies on such a suspension of belief that I think I got altitude sickness just thinking about it. The slasher elements are there, some working better than others, but are ultimately forgettable. The final act leans more campy and left me with more questions than satisfaction... <spoiler> If someone's been watching the guests every step, how are all the deaths missed? There's a store around just waiting for people to dress up like the local urban legend? How does Miles recognize Hannah's doctor? </spoiler> I wanted something more twisted, more earned, but instead I got a pickaxe and therapist with boundary issues.

I can give the book credit for exploring how trauma distorts memory, and how self-help culture can be both seductive and predatory. I just wish the core twist had more bite. If you want a slasher with cultish wellness vibes, this could be worth the trip. Just, keep an eye on your chamomile and sage.


Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

This one is such a fun bloody slasher!
Hannah is barely holding it together after the tragic death of her fiancé during a wilderness trip. Hoping for a reset, she joins her friends on a no-phones, healing retreat. But between the sound baths, sage burning, and sketchy Guru Pax, the vibes start to shift…and not in a good way. When guests begin dying in horrific ways, Hannah has to face her trauma and a killer.
A remote desert wellness retreat that turns into a full on slasher? Yes, please.
It was so hard to put this one down. The tension builds up fast, and the kills are WILD. Definitely a slasher you want to add to your shelf!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for the ARC.

Picture this, you just got out of school for the weekend. You’re on your way to Blockbuster (rip) to pick up a slasher movie and some candy, and you’re having a sleeping over with your friends. This is what the book exudes.

This is just straight camp. You know it’s not an A+ thriller or slasher, but it’s fun. That’s the whole point. You’re not rooting for any of these characters, and it’s fun to see how they get murdered in a way relevant to them.

Reading the author’s note, you can see the care and respect he pays towards the genre. He wanted it to be fun, have those twists, and make you feel like you’re watching a vhs horror tape. Let me tell you that’s exactly what you are going to get. Go in with low expectations and have fun.

Did Joss Whedon write this book? The promise of bloodshed later on was simply not worth the clunky writing and sloppy exposition. It's like the author googled "what are women like" and included every possible cliché, down to the Barefoot wine. Pass.

thank you so much to camp netgalley for the arc ❥
I'm usually a romance/fantasy reader, and I wanted to branch out when I heard about camp netgalley and chose Breathe In, Breathe out for my book. I love Scream, Midsommar, Creature From The Black Lagoon, and I Know What You Did Last Summer,,, and this book was a perfect example of a slasher book. I was already hooked by the first chapter following Hannah and her nightmares of her Fiance and although the ending was not as I expected it was my first introduction to horror books and safe to say not my last. ESPECIALLY not by Brian McAuley. I recommended this book to my boyfriend who's a huge slasher horror movie fan and just by the cover, he said he knew he'd enjoy it because it was giving the classic comfy horror feel and that's exactly how I can describe this book. 4/5!

3.5/5

I picked this one up based on the cover.

A campy slasher set in a secluded healing retreat in Joshua Tree.

It is very reminiscent of the works it takes inspiration from, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The ending felt kind of rushed and was a bit of a miss for me. All in all, it is a fast paced, easy read.

I also almost thought Tess was going to have a Dear Sister SNL skit moment at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

loved this slasher ✨🔪 what a book!
the characters were written incredibly well they were so animated you would think they are real 👍
The plot was insane but in the best way possible!

love it!

Hannah is dealing with the death of her fiancé when she’s invited to a retreat in Joshua Tree with her friends. While at the retreat, Hannah starts to heal emotionally when suddenly people start dying.

While this may not have been my favorite horror book I’ve read, it kept me interested. It is an easy read which is perfect for an end of summer or vacation book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Breathe in, Bleed Out -Brianne McAuley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis: When Hannah’s fiancé dies on their snowshoeing trip she’s the only one who knows what really happened on that mountain. Now her job is in jeopardy after a mistake with a patient and she’s having trauma hallucinations.
She’s isolated herself only opening up to her therapist. Randomly her friend Tess invites her on a wellness retreat with a few of their friends.
Avidya Healing Retreat is located in the desert, no cell phones or internet, Hannah thinks this just might help her but her friends start disappearing mysteriously and she needs to figure out what’s real and what she’s hallucinating.

This is the perfect summer slasher complete with some cult vibes. I devoured this book in a few days because I couldn’t put it down. If you love unreliable narrators and books that feel like movies, this one if for you! Out 9/2/25
Thank you to Brian McAuley, Poisoned Press and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Trigger warnings: suicidal thoughts

After surviving a tragic wilderness trip that left her fiancé dead, Hannah is haunted by guilt and vivid nightmares. Hoping for a fresh start, she joins her friends at a remote spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree. At first, the tech-free escape, the yoga and sound baths offer healing - but when a killer begins targeting guests, the peaceful getaway turns deadly. As the bodies pile up, Hannah must face her past and fight to survive.

After reading and loving Candy Cain Kills last year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Brian McAuley’s new book, which is set to release in September.
Even though Breathe In, Bleed Out didn’t wow me the way Candy Cain did, it’s still a fun and bloody good slasher, perfect for summer.

The first chapter was amazing and immediately pulled me in.
The writing was so vivid and immersive, I could picture every scene like it was unfolding on a screen.
The isolated desert setting was a great choice and added to the atmosphere, though I wished it had been explored a bit more.
The kills were fun, creative, and definitely delivered on the slasher vibes.
There was also a good amount of snarky humor and social commentary, which I’m a fan of - especially in horror books. It gets over-the-top at times, but in a very entertaining way.

That said, I’m not usually a fan of unreliable narrators, unlikeable characters, or messy friendship dynamics, and there were a few plot holes that bugged me a little.

If you’re a fan of slasher movies like Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer, then you should definitely add this book to your TBR.

One year after a snowy hiking trip gone wrong, Hannah is drowning. A road trip with old friends to a spiritual retreat in the middle of nowhere might be just the thing to get her started on a healing journey! You know, if the terrifying killer doesn't get her first....

This was pretty fun! It reads just like you're watching a classic slasher which, according to the afterward, is exactly what the author was going for. It's fast paced, a little gory, with a fun slightly twisty ending.

My only issue was that the ending was a little goofy and stretched my suspension of disbelief just a touch. The reveal was fine but the confrontation felt weirdly silly, and the exposition got a little clunky. The epilogue makes up for it a bit, bringing the story full circle.

Despite some minor issues, this was still an enjoyable read - if you're looking for a fun pulpy slasher, check it out!

I really did not enjoy this. It felt like a very low budget movie that couldn’t quite figure out what direction it wanted to go in. All of the characters were unbearable.The reveal of the killer literally was so random and made not much sense to me… lol. I did like that the main character was trying to heal and come to terms with her trauma. Idk, I had very high expectations based on reviews but was disappointed. Maybe I’m desensitized to horror but this was very lackluster for me.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this book because of the cover, not knowing much about it besides it being categorized as a horror novel. Breathe In, Bleed Out was so much fun. I have never read a slasher novel, but I feel like this was a pretty good one to start with.

The main character, Hannah, is suffering from hallucinations after losing her partner in a tragic accident. She has kept to herself since the accident, and her best friend reaches out to her to convince her to go on a retreat in the middle of the desert. Agreeing, Hannah and 4 of her friends make the trek to the desert near Joshua Tree, where they run into more than just rocks and yoga.

The book progressed at a present, decent speed. I enjoyed that when characters were being killed, the chapter would follow the character in third-person POV, where the rest of the novel is first-person POV with Hannah being the narrator. I thought that was pretty interesting. I also liked that the murder scenes weren’t overly gory. I read this book at night time, usually after midnight, and they made me just a tiny bit jumpy, which is good for this type of book.

I did have my guesses on who the murderer actually was, and in the end, I was correct. But that’s okay, as I still enjoyed it. One thing to note is that none of these characters were that likable. Hannah was really rude at times, and her friends and the gurus at the getaway were tools. I also enjoyed that Scooby-Doo was mentioned a few times because at times, it did give adult Scooby-Doo vibes.

Overall, 4 stars. Fun, fast-paced read. Easy-to-consume writing and a good intro to slasher novels. Every time I opened the book, I’d think of the song Machinehead by Bush that goes “Breathe In, Breathe Out” on loop, lol. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.