🔪 Slasher in book form
🏜️ Isolated, no service, no help setting
🩸 Kills were good, but the lulls in between were too long
🫤 I didn't feel much suspense
👎 I didn't care about any of the characters or their fates
👍 I liked how the FMC's trauma manifested
🔎 My main suspect was NOT the killer! (that never happens)
🎥 Would enjoy it better as a movie

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a laugh-out-loud funny slasher set at an exclusive spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree. This is the perfect summer slasher with a fantastic mix of humor, gore, and obvious love of the genre. I went into this thinking it would be a good time but I had no idea just how much fun I was going to have!

Our FMC, Hannah, is suffering from the traumatic loss of her fiance. In hopes of healing, she joins her friends for a weekend retreat in Joshua Tree and, admist yoga sessions, sound baths, and hallucinogenic trips, emotions run high, reality blurs, and not everyone is going to make it out alive.

Like most slasher stories, the cast of characters run the gambit of lovable and insufferable (often the same character, at the same time). Experiencing most of the book from Hannah's perspective, the reader is along for the ride and equally uncertain what is real and what is a trauma response. I normally don't like first person point of view, but it really worked for me here- but what made the narrative even better was the shift to third person for the kill chapters!

The kills were quick and visceral and so easy to imagine! They were simultaneously gory and funny just like a good kill scene in a slasher movie (and this book could so easily be adapted into a film). They were honestly my favorite parts to read, but ESPECIALLY the first kill. Almost the entire chapter is highlighted on my kindle because it was just so hysterical.

I also felt like the book honestly handles both the PTSD/mental illness aspect and the spiritual practices/cultural appropriation aspects really respectfully and while they're obviously aspects of the plot, it never feels derisive.

This is a great read and I highly recommend everyone picks it up when it comes out- it will be the perfect transition from summer into spooky season!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC- all thoughts my own!

Overall an entertaining and fun read, but for a specific type of horror fans. The characters are shallow and unlikable, but the twist was entertaining and fun. I love the mix of Midsommar and Scream, but this reads like an 80s slasher movie, so horror fans looking for character development or thought provoking themes will be disappointed.

Yay! This was a true horror story. I picked this because of the title, not knowing anything about the story. I was pleasantly surprised to get a horror story like the good ole horror movies from the 70s and 80s. I enjoyed all of the misleads before finding out who the actual ‘bad guy’ was. There was even some good gory details as well. This was a fun read!

NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, thank you for this advanced copy.

Fans of classic slasher films will dive into this one and not come up for air until the end! Isolated group, one by one disappear, who is the killer? Hints around every corner, will you guess who it is? Who will survive to the end? Definite gory fun.

Thank you Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for this perfect summer slasher.

I was hooked from the very beginning! Brian McAuley did a great job at being descriptive in the way the killer behaved that at one point I was truly creeped out by a scene as I could it see it happening in my head, like a movie. I thought I had the killer figured out by the end of the book but was truly shocked.

It's a Midsommar night's Scream in this blood-soaked thriller set at a remote healing retreat from horror author Brian McAuley.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐.5, rounding up!️

Rock-bottom and in search of healing, Hannah agrees to a wellness retreat in California, hoping to get over the traumatic death of her fiancé. She finds herself off the beaten path with her friends and her new hosts, Guru Pax and Kimi, who promise to reach inside their minds and aid them in their path to self-discovery.

This was such a quick read, but in the best way. McAuley notes himself as a fan of horror, and you can feel so much of his love and appreciation woven into this story (and definitely has me interested in reading his other books!).

From the start you so feel for Hannah, trying to pick up the pieces after the death of her fiancé. Her road to healing ends up taking the path to a "wellness retreat" with her almost-estranged friends, with the promise of transformative experiences. Only for things to not be quite what they seem, as her friends slowly start disappearing, and leaving Hannah to guess what is dreams and what is real when she thinks she spots the ghost of local legend Waylon Barlow.

Without spoiling too much, we are really kept guessing throughout the book! There were definitely a couple times where I thought I for sure knew what was going on, only for the plot to divert and thicken. I enjoyed the supernatural elements woven throughout, and how they involved local folklore. The additional POVs were so fun as well, and the deaths were all clever, along with the big reveal at the end. The only thing I wish was a little different was the reveal of what happened with Ben, after the build-up throughout it didn't quite have the weight I was expecting (though it was still a satisfying conclusion).

And some parts had me grinning - the "please, I'm an empath" had me chuckling out loud. This was such a fun read, and absolutely nails the slasher horror experience.

(Thank you so much NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC & the opportunity to review! 📖)

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a thrilling final girl slasher novel that masterfully blends psychological suspense with gritty horror. Hannah is haunted by the tragic death of her fiancé during a wilderness excursion and tormented by relentless nightmares and buried guilt. Hannah no longer knows what is real and has isolated herself from everyone. She makes a critical mistake as a medical student and is forced to take leave. Her best friend, whom she has been avoiding, finally breaks through and invites her on a spiritual retreat in the desert; reluctantly, Hannah goes while hoping to reclaim her sanity. The book constantly blurs the lines between reality and paranoia. The tension escalates as people in her party begin to die, leaving Hannah questioning whether these horrors are genuine or figments of her imagination.

The emotional weight of grief is felt throughout the novel, highlighting the devastating effects of ignoring unresolved trauma and how it can fester and consume from within, illustrating the importance of confronting and processing loss and remorse.

The writing creates an immersive experience, as though you are watching a movie within the pages. It was a thrilling read that I wish I could read for the first time again. Additionally, the inclusion of the author's notes enhances the reading experience, providing insight into the author's fascination with slasher movies, such as Scream.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

This one is for the slasher fans. It has everything:
✅️ Lots of fun kills
✅️ Re-directs
✅️ Unreliable narrator
✅️ Strong female friendships

This is a great horror book for those who aren't squeamish and would be good for book clubs as there would be great discussions around grief and mental health.

Absolutely LOVED this slasher horror , once you start reading it you won't want to stop

Highly recommend to any horror lovers

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a very entertaining and suspenseful slasher set at an isolated wellness retreat. The book is full of inventive kills, commentary/satire on the wellness industry, and a cool killer. I really enjoyed Hannah as a main character, it was rewarding to see her journey throughout the story. From learning about the death of her fiancé and the ways that she started isolating herself to seeing the ways that she fights back to protect herself and others. She’s definitely a great final girl. If you love slashers then you definitely need to give this one a read. And also make sure to read the author’s note at the end. I loved learning about Brian McAuley’s history with and love for the horror genre.

I received an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley. The cover and description led me to request this ARC. I’m glad I did. I’m hesitant on what to say because I don’t want to give spoilers, but who doesn’t love a good “ who’s the killer ?” Story ? If that’s your vibe , I recommend. I left this review on Goodreads.

I will already herald this one as one of my top horror reads of the year unashamedly. Brian McAuley has successfully created a transcendent slasher novel. Reading this gave me the same elation (and anxiety) that I felt when I was first introduced to the Scream franchise. These characters and this atmosphere was truly unique. Hannah was one of the most brilliantly fierce final girls I have ever experienced. She proved that you can be cold, but sometimes having an icy interior is what it takes to survive. As someone who chronically guesses plot twists, I was gasping over this one. You quite literally could not guess where the story was going next. If I had to describe this novel in one phrase it is “a bloody good time.” I will be adding this one as a Summerween slasher classic from now on. This one was gruesome, gory, and an absolute delight. Readers will feel immensely connected to our main character throughout the story and see how the act of letting go can really set you free.

Wow this book was action-packed and just what I needed to get out of my reading slump. This is definitely a slasher so if you aren't into some gore, then this may not be for you, but this book kept me guessing and guessing. The killer was kind of random, but helped wrap up the end of the story. Overall I really enjoyed it and would love to read more of Brian McAuley's work.

***Thank you to NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for a review!

Set aside some free time for this book - you won’t want to put it down! I started reading on a weekday evening and I was furious to have to go to sleep that night so I could be up for work the next day.

I loved the idea of a slasher story set at an invitation-only wellness retreat in the desert.
I also really liked the mythology behind the suspected killer, and the creative kills that made use of the setting.

Hannah was a complicated and messy protagonist, which made me question whether things were really as they seemed. There were plenty of red herrings along the way, and I was definitely wrong about who the killer was…and their motivations.

This book was fast-paced, with not a boring moment.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

I absolutely love thrillers, and when I saw this book pop up as part of Camp NetGalley, I had to give it a go, especially since I’ve recently been getting into more gory horror novels!

Breath In, Bleed Out hooked me early (had its pickaxe in me, hehe) and didn’t let go. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and completely unputdownable!
I devoured it in less than 12 hours!

We follow Hannah, our MC, who’s grappling with the guilt and trauma of losing her fiancé in what appears to be a tragic accident. The exact details are murky, and as a reader, you’re kept in the dark just enough to keep those pages turning.

After isolating herself and pushing her friends away, Hannah is convinced by her best friend Tess to join a wellness retreat with their old friend group. It seems like it might be just what Hannah needs, until things at the retreat start to feel… off. Still, the group leans into the experience and even begins to benefit from it,- until something, or someone, starts to get under their skin.

I devoured this book. My brain was in overdrive trying to figure out what the hell was going on, and even then, I was still shocked by the ending!

If you’re into twisty, gruesome thrillers with a horror edge, this one’s absolutely for you.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Brian McAuley, and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this!

This book was so easy to speed through in one sitting, I could not put it down. Breathe in, Bleed Out is such a successful story written like a good classic slasher film. A group of friends go to a retreat in the middle of the desert and are completely isolated when odd things start happening. The build up is perfect and of course there are twists and turns along the way. I’m not always the biggest horror fan but I absolutely loved this as it was the perfect amount of vintage horror vibes and a fun plot.

This was so much fun! I don't read slasher books as often because I absolutely love slasher films, and books just never seem to add the same level of suspense, but Breathe in, Bleed Out brought everything I'd want in a slasher/thriller. It really feels like I was watching a movie instead of just reading, and after reading the author's bio, that makes sense. There is a great setting established and it follows the rules you'd expect in typical slashers, while also surpassing the limit.

This starts out immediately with action, and leaves us with a question, so suspense is already created. Each chapter felt like it had an appropriate length and the pacing felt consistent throughout.

But hey now, as a Marine veteran, I'm offended by the portrayal of the Marine dude in the book, haha. We're not all like that!

This was so enjoyable that I never felt like I wanted to try and guess who was the murderer, I just wanted to be there along for the ride. This weirdly makes me want to go on a retreat.

I wanted to like this but I was bored. If you are knees to horror you might like this. But this was not for me.

3 1/2 rating! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the arc for an honest review!

If the topic of scammy retreats, bad drug trips, or My Bloody Valentine interests you- this book is for you! Which are all things that interest me. Once the characters reach the retreat, the book is ready to go barreling down. The kills are thrilling, and the trifles with friends were not all annoying as it fulfilled the story. Hannah grew on me, along with the female characters. I enjoyed the final girl(s) moment, but part of me wished it was actually a slasher ghost type legend rather than the twist that was revealed at the very end. I didn't care for any of the men characters, which is not a problem for me as they weren't the main focus in the book. This book almost struggled to grip me in the first 30% before the arrival to the retreat, despite the initial mysterious start but I am glad that I kept going on! The start of the book seemed to play characters into stereotypes a bit too much, which on one hand I can see being a benefit since it's like a horror movie. The pacing of the book was great besides that, including the pacing of the kills. I'm glad the kills started right at the arrival of the retreat, and did not wait for the end of the book to get started.