4.5. This book is a killer book!! 🔪 I loved every second of it. The characters were so fully fleshed out (haha) the ending was legitimately surprising and so weird!! — in the best way possible. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Thanks NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the arc.

A classic take on old slashers like My Bloody Valentine and Texas Chainsaw Massacre set at a new age resort in the california desert.

A wellness retreat is the perfect place to find yourself…but also to lose your life.

Ever since she lost her fiancé that day one year ago, Hannah’s been trying to keep her life together and not spiral apart. When her best friends bring up an opportunity to spend a week at a wellness retreat in the remote California desert to unplug and reconnect, Hannah thinks it’ll be the perfect opportunity to get back to herself and destress from normal life.

As the week goes on, she starts to realise that’s not the case, and something more sinister is waiting in the shadows.

—

YES. I love horrors, and have really high expectations for them, meaning I get disappointed easily. But this was fantastic in every sense.

I loved the rawness of Hannah’s experiences, and the goriness of the kills. The detail was excellent, and so cleverly described?! The fact everyone was a suspect in my eyes, and when I thought I’d worked everything out? That twist got me. I did NOT see that coming.

And I loved that.

Brian has crafted an absolutely exceptional mystery slasher thriller, with full-bodied characters, complex moral decisions, and beautiful homages to the jewels in the horror crown. I especially loved his mini love letter/author’s note at the end of the book, and his love and devotion to the horror genre was sweet and something I thoroughly related to.

This was an absolute pleasure to review, and I cannot thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author enough for this ARC.

First of all, the first chapter of this book was awesome. Like, YEEESSSing out loud, loved it, no notes.

Hannah is experiencing vivid waking nightmares after a traumatic event in which her fiancé died, and at the suggestion of her friend and her psychiatrist while in the height of her struggle, takes a long weekend to an off grid spiritual yoga escape where things take a turn for the worse as members of the group are being killed off.

I loved the scenes with Hannah’s waking nightmares, they were a definite highlight for me and were so vivid and well done.

I read this book over two sittings and raced through it. After the introduction to the story and the characters, it’s fast paced and binge worthy and I really enjoyed the writing and flow of the story.

I thought the setting of the story was great and really effective, an off grid yoga retreat set in surrounding desert, adding further isolation to the group.

I actually didn’t mind it too much, but keep in mind all of the characters are complete hot messes where basically nobody has any redeeming qualities and you don’t mind that they die, BUT it is a slasher, so it’s fun and gory and easy and not to be taken too seriously, and for that I really enjoyed it.

However, I’m unsure how I feel about the ending on two parts.
• After being alluded to a mystery surrounding Hannah’s fiancé’ death, I was hoping for something much darker in its reveal.
• I’m unsure how I feel about both the twists and the killer, I can’t work out if it’s the who that I’m unsure about or the reveal / wrap up of it - but I didn’t guess them so points for that!

And I will definitely read more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Breathe In, Bleed Out follows Hannah, who has been traumatised after going on a trip with her fiancé Ben, only to return alone. No one knows what happened on that trip, including Hannah's closest friends, but in need of a fresh start she reluctantly agrees to a trip with them to a spiritual retreat.

I love slasher films and this book is a slasher brought vividly to life - a remote location, stereotypical characters being picked off one by one, a masked killer. The storytelling is done so well I could picture everything so clearly. The book is action packed and tense throughout, this has been such an enjoyable read.

"I think that when we suffer from serious trauma, we're haunted by it. And a haunting can take different shapes at different times. But you can trace it all back to the same cause. The truth you're refusing to look at in the eye."

Okay. Here's what I loved about this one:

💞 Fast-paced
💞 Great title
💞 Fun death scenes reminiscent of Final Destination
💞 Pro-science ... kind of

And what I didn't like ... at all ...

🩸 Unbelievable hallucinations ickly linked to trauma, mental health, and drug abuse
🩸 Hard to believe addiction scenarios
🩸 Too many "the culprit's gotta be ___!"
🩸 Dropping plot points ... like when friends go missing, which was a Big Thing one day but forgotten the next
🩸 Utterly far-fetched actual culprit plus evil-doer explanation
🩸 Inconsistent lead ... and I don't mean the unreliable narrator bit
🩸 Not enough social criticism, especially of white appropriation of yogi culture

This had a shot at glory but didn't quite get there. I could imagine this becoming a fine thriller with a little bit more maturity and finesse.

Hell yeah, this was a fun slasher; equivalent to a 90-minute romp of a movie with inventive kills. 3.5/5

Has a little bit of a twist with a feel of knowing and cherishing the tropes, à la "The Cabin in the Woods" or, appropriately, "Scream". You can tell the author also has a scriptwriter's touch because the whole thing reads very cinematically.

Only thing sliiiightly lacking for me personally was that the red herrings were a tad obvious as such, so the killer reveal wasn't that shocking. But still, it was a super fun binge read and what it seeks out to accomplish it does with almost flying colors.

Don't miss the author's note! There's a holy cross reference that was truly chef's kiss

As a huge slasher movie fan, this was so much fun! Scream is my favorite film of all time, and this was like Scream for wellness gurus. I loved it! It was a little slow moving in some parts, but the ending really amped up the fun. I really enjoyed this read!

This book was absolutely cinematic, I had the sense the whole time I needed to pop some jiffy pop and hide behind my fingers. The kills were creative and visceral, and the setting was vivid.

This book is a love letter to horror cinema, as made evident by the author’s note in the back. It feels like all the best horror movies that made me who I am today. I loved it from the very first page. The last few chapters had me looking like that SpongeBob caveman meme. I had NO idea what was happening and it was so much fun.

This is my very first book by this author, and look at that cover! If you’re familiar with my reviews, you know I’m a sucker for a captivating cover.

Hannah seeks healing at a remote retreat after the traumatic death of her fiancé, Ben, during a wilderness trip. Haunted by his ghost and plagued by vivid nightmares, she hopes the retreat in Joshua Tree will help her move on. While initially skeptical of the retreat's supernatural themes and its eccentric guru, she begins to find solace through its holistic practices. However, the peaceful setting turns deadly when a mysterious killer starts targeting attendees, forcing Hannah to confront her past and fight for her life as she uncovers the truth behind the unfolding chaos.

This horror thriller is a delightful throwback to the classic slasher genre, presented in a refreshingly unique way. You can’t help but revel in the suspense as characters meet their untimely demises one by one, leaving only a handful to face the inevitable showdown. You’ll find yourself playing detective, trying to figure out who the real villain is, but let’s be honest—you’ll probably get it wrong. There are a few unexpected twists that will keep you guessing, and I must say, well done to the author for that!

It’s the kind of nostalgic horror that I adore, even though I’ve always shied away from watching the classics. I missed out on so much gore, screaming, and the thrill of bad guesses—what was I thinking? Ha!

Our protagonist, Hannah, has endured a tragic loss and is struggling to cope with her emotions. She wisely seeks professional help and medication, and you can’t help but feel for her; that’s a heavy burden for someone so young. But wait—Hannah harbors a dark secret related to her loss, and you’ll need to dive into the pages to uncover it. A few of her friends join her on a retreat, but as the story unfolds, things take a turn for the bizarre, and you’ll be left in disbelief.

If you’re a fan of old-school slashers, enjoy a bit of gore, and love a crazy twist at the end that leaves you saying, “What the heck?!” then this fast-paced read is just what you need. The emotions run high, and you’ll find yourself wanting to scream or yell at the characters to make better choices. It’s so well-written that I devoured it in one afternoon, and then I took my dogs for a walk in the dark—talk about bad timing!

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5🌟

I’ve never been a huge slasher reader. Slasher movies? 100% yes. But for some reason I’ve never been drawn to slasher books.
However, when I saw this cover on NetGalley and read the description, I decided to give one a chance and I am really glad I did.
I finished this book in around 4 hours, maybe 3.5? Because I just couldn’t put it down.
The first sentence drew me in. The first chapter had me questioning everything straight away. So the rest of the book definitely had me drawn in.
We have an untrustworthy narrator which always makes things more interesting as you never know what to believe.
And at first I didn’t enjoy the 3rd person pov, but the further we got into the book. The more I understood it and the more of an impact it had.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and was completely shocked by the ending.
It wasn’t what I expected at all.
I’m definitely going to have to look into this author more and maybe expand into reading more slashers too!

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It read exactly like a campy horror movie. It was such a fun quick read. I don't normally read horror, but really enjoyed this book. I will add a link one the post is up on Instagram. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read the book.

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a campy My Bloody Valentine meets Scooby Doo thriller that takes place at an isolated desert retreat following a group of friends who go there to relax, have fun and heal spiritually. While the novel isn't doing anything groundbreaking, it is an easy to read, fairly fast-paced slasher. It's comforting in that 'what you expect is what you get' kind of way. I did find the ending to be surprising though, in a bad way, because it just didn't make a lot of sense to me.

I feel like this review comes off as very negative, but I want to make it clear that I enjoyed much of my time reading this book. I finished it in just a few days! It's a popcorn read (IMO) that set out to be a fun, blood-soaked slasher and it accomplishes that. I just don't foresee it ending up on my top reads of the year list. I think many people will really (and already do!) like this one.

I give Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounded down to 3 stars for NetGalley)

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC through NetGalley! Pub Date: 9/2/25

If you're looking for a class slasher book, this is for you!

A year after the devastating loss of her fiancé, Hannah decides it's time to get out of her comfort zone by going on a retreat with her old college friends. What is supposed to be a relaxing, enlightening time turns into a nightmare. Hannah is convinced that the ghost of a miner is following them and picking them off one by one. But no one else seems worried.

People are starting to go missing, and the deaths are gruesome.

You'll recoil from the horror, but keep coming back for more.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC!

I've never read this author before and now I need to add his back catalogue to my ever growing TBR. I'm obsessed.

This is my first NetGalley ARC and I truly did not expect to hit upon something so excellent this quickly. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for introducing me to a new favourite.

Hannah is an immediately sympathetic character. She's smart, but struggling and unwilling or unable to accept help. Her difficulty isn't just believable, but relatable. The way her trauma impacts her life is handled well. She doesn't make poor decisions because the plot needs her to. She does it because she's battling with her experiences for her mental health. Her group of friends are a mixed bag that make for unique characters while still being a realistic group of friends. Some of them start out more likable than others, but when the book breaks from Hannah's first person perspective to let us check in with some of them in third person, they become more rounded. Each of them carries a burden of their own. Some of these drop insightful glimpses into Hannah's last relationship in a way that made me feel like I was casually getting to know her ex.

The writing pulls you in quickly. The pacing lures you into the classic 'one more page' trap. The mystery convinces you that any one of these people could be a killer.

This one is an easy recommendation to anyone who enjoys slashers, mysteries, or thrillers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a wild ride. I'm no stranger to Brain's previous work, and this one is definitely right on par with his other novels.

The entire story read like a late 90s/early 2000s slasher film, which I obviously love. I noticed elements from both the Scream and Final Destination franchises, so if you love those you won't be disappointed. Each kill by the murderer was unique and grotesque. I thought I had figured out who the killer was, but the ending really threw me for a loop. I also really liked the wellness approach he took - I think it's something we are seeing a lot of today, and there's just always something creepy and culty about a wellness retreat. This setting is isolated and really gives off creepy vibes, which was perfect for this story.

Is this book extremely deep, insightful, and life-altering? No. But will you have a great time and still think of it long after you've finished? Absolutely. This is 100% for lovers of the slasher genre, and if you're a fan you'll want to check this one out for sure!

What starts as meditation and mantras quickly spirals into something much darker. This is a sharp, unsettling story that plays with one of my favorite horror setups: the glossy façade of wellness masking something deeply twisted. The satire of L.A. culture, including DJs, influencer yoga instructors, and finance bros, is spot-on, and Hannah’s grief and trauma from losing her fiancé in a snow camping accident ground the story in real emotional stakes.

It was close to a Five-star rating, but the surreal elements toward the end moved fast, and I found myself wanting a deeper resolution to Hannah’s arc, especially with how powerful her inner conflict was early on.

Thank you, NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Brian McAuley, for this eerie, sun-drenched eARC, out September 2025!

Breathe in, Bleed out is a wonderful slasher horror novel that is witty, relatable, and in the end a bit surprising!

I have many unanswered question that will absolutely bother me for months to come, but I doubt they’ll ever be answered.

I loved this book so much, and I really hope you do too.

I loved Breathe In, Bleed Out, it's a perfect slasher story. The pacing is fast, the characters and their conflicts are so compelling and the deaths are interesting (and, dare I say, almost funny) in the best way. Reading this book really felt like watching Scream or Final Destination where you know someone's going to die and the anticipation of how things will fall out and lead to their death grips you and keeps you hooked.

If this is a genre you enjoy, RUN to read this book, such a fun and quick read, I highly recommend!

I had never read anything by Brian McAuley, I am so glad I found this book, I will be looking up the author's previous works!


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

I loved this book!!! I love horror movies and you can tell the author loves horror and slasher too! The characters were fleshed out enough to make them characters but also you couldnt wait for some of them to be killed off, just like the movies! Hannah makes a compelling "final girl" if know you know. The mystery was really interesting too because I assumed it would go one way, but it went another way and then went a fully third way. No one was safe and I liked that. I liked how each kill was like a separate scene, it wasn't done off screen. We the reader/audience got to see it so we knew they were dead. So often when things are off screen or page so you know there is a chance of someone coming back. Some of the kills were very reminiscent of things like In a Violent Nature or Urban legends and I love when the killer uses methods found in area, in this case a health spa situation. I really really enjoyed this!