Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

You know when you're watching a horror movie, particularly a slasher, and you're screaming at the main character during a tense moment for doing something dumb but at the same time you can't take your eyes away from the screen? That's this book. It captures the feeling of a slasher so much better than most other slasher books out there, and I literally could not put it down. I feel as though horror/slasher books tend to stray away from that since we're more in their heads than we are in movies, so when I get the movie feel from a book it really means something to me. After reading the author's note I can really see all the influences and passion behind this as well.

I've read books where the twists and turns have made my eye roll farther back into my head than I thought was humanly possible. Brian McAuley delivered his labyrinth murder and mayhem perfectly. At times it feels like you're losing your grip on reality with Hannah as she tries to figure out who is killing all her friends.

Wonderfully paced and full of characters to root for, against, and sometimes a bit both.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Brian McAuley’s “Breathe In, Bleed Out” is a blood-soaked thrill ride that wears its love for classic slasher films on its sleeve. Set at a wellness retreat that quickly morphs into a nightmare, this story delivers a combination of humor, horror, and mystery, offering slasher fans the grisly delights they crave.

The story follows Hannah, who has been spiraling since the death of her fiancé. Plagued by nightmares, drowning in anxiety meds, and floundering at work, she reluctantly joins her best friend Tess on a spiritual healing retreat in Joshua Tree. The serene desert landscape, led by eccentric guru Pax, promises peace and self-discovery, but it soon becomes a stage for a series of brutal murders.

McAuley’s writing pulses with energy and affection for the slasher genre. The book is short, fast-paced, and filled with creative, gruesome death scenes, including moments so visceral they feel lifted straight from a horror movie. One particularly stomach-churning scene involves a character getting their face skinned while still alive, a testament to McAuley’s willingness to push boundaries for shock and gore.

While the plot leans heavily on familiar slasher tropes, McAuley adds enough twists and playful touches to keep the story from feeling stale. The killer dispatches victims in ways tied to their personal vices, which adds an intriguing layer to the story. And just when you think you have it all figured out, the book hits you with an unexpected reveal about the killer’s identity and motives, leading to a satisfying final act.

Hannah is a solid “final girl,” grappling with grief, guilt, and her own mental health as the bodies pile up around her. She provides a compelling lens through which to experience the escalating chaos. Her journey from vulnerable and uncertain to decisive and vengeful brings a sense of catharsis, especially when she and the other victims finally get a measure of revenge.

Not all characters fare as well, with Hannah’s friend group often coming across as annoying or shallow, making it hard to feel invested when they start getting picked off. However, the book’s dark humor and McAuley’s knack for sharp, comedic dialogue keep the tone engaging even during these moments.

Beyond the slashing, the book offers a biting, if sometimes heavy-handed, satire of LA’s wellness culture. Though sometimes the social commentary was too prevalent in the story and could be a bit annoying. Pax, the retreat’s leader, stands out as an odd and suspicious figure, steering clear of typical cult-leader clichés while still exuding a deeply unsettling vibe. The isolated desert setting adds atmosphere and tension, conjuring images of classic horror films while creating space for fresh chills.

Overall, “Breathe In, Bleed Out” doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a loving homage to slasher classics, filled with gore, tension, and humor. For horror fans seeking a quick, entertaining read with inventive kills and an engaging mystery, this book hits the spot.

Synopsis:
Hannah has been haunted by the ghost of her late-fiancé ever since she escaped a hiking trip gone wrong. Her psychiatrist thinks she could use more intensive treatment, but instead of checking herself in to a psychiatric hospital, she accepts an invite from her friend to an exclusive spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree.
Although skeptical of the spiritual and supernatural elements, she feels the retreat is helping...until suddenly it’s not. Is a killer on the loose, or is it her hallucinations? As her friends begin to disappear, she takes it upon herself to uncover the truth and catch the killer before it’s too late.

Review:
“Breathe In, Bleed Out” is a love letter to the slasher genre. This tale is woven together with all the key elements for a whodunit that keeps the reader invested. An optimal, isolated setting paves the way for this mystery to unfold with creative kills along the way that will cause your jaw to drop. If you’re a fan of the slasher horror sub-genre, I highly recommend this book, and make sure you read the author’s note at the end of the book once you finish the story!

“Breathe In, Bleed Out” is out on September 2, 2025!

❗️Content warnings: animal death, gore, addiction, mental health, death of a significant other

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Brian McAuley for a ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Brian McAuley delivers a razor-sharp, chillingly immersive psychological horror in Breathe In, Breathe Out. A story that takes on self-help retreats and twists them into something far more sinister.

This novel has us readers go through conflicted feelings and puts us into an anxious state - knowing that something bad is right around the corner. The writing is truly immersive and the length of the novel is just right.

If you generally enjoy thrillers but would like it a little more gritty, do not skip this one! The beginning reminds me of Gone Girl vibes, which then turn into I still know what you did last summer. A WORTHY READ!

Thank you to Brian McAuley for this (re)treat and Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for sponsoring this trip!

To start things off - love the cover. It gives such a classic slasher vibe! The title, not so much, but I promise it makes sense eventually.

Breathe In, Bleed Out follows Hannah, a med intern trying to stay afloat with a heavy load of trauma on her back - namely, the death of her partner in unclear (to us) circumstances. She's having a rough time, becoming too dependent on her meds and withdrawing from her social circles, so when her best friend Tess manages to snag an invite to an exclusive healing retreat, it seems like a fantastic idea. In Avidya, Hannah will have her journey of self-discovery - just not the one she was expecting.

This book is fun and fast-paced - I read it in one sitting, I was so caught by it.. It's an homage to classic slashers that also delights in taking shots at toxic wellness culture, with its smoke and mirrors wrapped in a neat cultural appropriation package, and in showing how easy it is to believe what we need to.

Loved it. A slasher meets Nine Perfect Strangers. I’m a big fan of the horror/slasher book genre and it’s very difficult to get get, let alone done well…this was done extremely well. It was gory, funny, dark and suspenseful. Will be in my top 10 of the year, for sure.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a copy of this arc,

I think that if you like slashers this might work better for you then it did for me. Unfortunately slashers just aren’t exactly my favorite brand of horror.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Hanna is at her most compelling there and although she retains het interest I did not particularly like her friends very much.

This is a fun horror that’s clearly written by someone who likes horror and that is always a plus for me.

There is just one to many ideas for me and I think if we had got to focus more on either the cult angle, the slasher angel or the last minute betrayal or the supernatural angle

A solid entry especially for genre fans. If you can suspend disbelief you’ll have a good time.

Great for fans of the decent, the ruins book, scream or movie and I was a teenage slasher.

I loved this book! I finished it two sittings; it was such a gripping read. Perfect for a fun slashy summer. I loved trying to figure out what was happening and the whodunnit before Hannah could. Her friends and the rest of the cast felt fleshed out and believable. The mental health representation was really good as well.

I’ve never actually read a slasher book before. I’ve watched plenty of shows and movies, but never read one. It was a fun experience.

I was absolutely kept on the edge of my seat for this whole book. From the very first line (which wow what a way to start a book), I was invested in this story.

This isn’t like an ahhh scary kind of horror. It’s a straight up slasher where you’re trying to figure out what’s going on and why.

I enjoyed the setting of this book. We have the classic camp aspect, but not in a kids summer camp like often occurs in this genre.

I also liked how some of the characters felt very real and like they’ve been involved in the real world. It helped to bring the story to life and allowed me to care a bit more about what was going on.

Thank you very much to Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

God, I love a fun horror novel.

This is the first time I’ve picked up a book and felt like I was watching a classic slasher film. I enjoyed every second, and I truly didn’t see the twisty end coming until it was right there in front of my face. I read the entire book in two days, squinting at different lines and highlighting away like I was a little detective. There are so many juicy clues casually dropped into the actual word choices and in the behaviors of the characters. I felt so sure I knew what was going on the whole time, but I was wrong - and that’s my favorite way for horror stories to go.

The writing style is witty and often pretty funny. I saw a lot of myself in the attitudes of multiple characters, and that just cracked right me up. The death scenes were creative and disgusting too, just how I like them. I even threw my phone down once and yelled for a quick second, just to release the abject horror I was experiencing while reading through the descriptions in this novel (the snake, man… the snake…). I think the author, much like myself, loves a perfectly curated death scene.

I think this story is a lovely callback to all the things horror watchers, readers, and writers love about the classics. It has an interesting setting that I haven’t really seen done before and approaches the subject matter in a serious but also satirical way that was exciting to see. The flaws of the characters aren’t sugar coated, and often times their flaws are almost too glaring and off-putting… but there’s always more to the story than that, isn’t there?

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this - and that’s what matters most to me. I love a story that can scare me and make me giggle at the same time. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good scary movie. What’s a little fear amongst friends anyway, eh? Pick this one up and have a little fun. Signing off with the funniest line I’ve ever read, as the author so aptly says: in the name of the Freddy, the Michael, and the Jason Voorhees - slaymen.

What a fun, entertaining novel. McAuley is a horror fan and it shows. He’s grown up watching every slasher movie and this read takes a fresh look at the usual tropes. As he notes in the afterword, these movies only work when you care for the characters. The victims can’t only be the ones who deserve it, but the nice, likable characters too. Breathe In, Bleed Out uses the expected ingredients and subverts them to defy expectations. Hannah, the lead is not an innocent, virginal girly girl. After losing her boyfriend, she is a mess. She lies, lashes out at her friends and thinks nothing of practicing medicine while high on Xanax. She is also hoping to get better and is a resourceful fighter. The pace is perfect for a suspenseful, addictive read. The setting is described enough that it’s easy to picture the action without slowing down the story. The carnage is doled out in a way that it matters. Yes, we’re all there for the slasher but almost every kill is significant. Bring me the popcorn, this is a truly enjoyable read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Poisoned Pen Press.

First of all ... WOW!!

This was my first slasher so I wasn't sure what to expect but as an avid thrill seeker, this book was everything I wanted and more. The plot twists caught me off guard every single time - for most of it I was reading with my hand over my mouth. I even said to myself (yes out loud ... lol), "This is crazy!" And that ending? I had so many guesses as I was reading and all I have to say is the last few chapters had me shook!

Brian McAuley perfectly executed a mix of suspense and gore that pulled me in from the very first chapter. I was absolutely captivated by this story. I don't remember the last time I finished a book in one sitting but I couldn't put this one down. I know I'll be thinking about this for MONTHS!

When this comes out in September, you better buckle up! Huge thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of this book.

Oh my god, I had such a great time with this book. Scream is one of my all time favourite horror movies- which makes it easy for me to appreciate a good slasher story. Breath In did not disappoint, the author did a great job of building suspense that had me desperately reading to find out what happened next.
Our FMC was obviously going through it and following her storyline was so interesting. Everything was so chaotic, I had a hard time discerning what was really happening and what wasn’t. It was so much fun.
The idea of a wellness retreat mixed in with everything else happening to our main character worked so well with the story. The descriptions were so vivid I truly could picture it so clearly in my kind. Especially the gory bits, which was a little insane because it would feel so mundane and regular and then a death would happen the imagery would be quite graphic! The mark of a great book for me is does it make me want to keep reading and do I care how it ends- this book did both of those things for me. This was by far one of the best slasher books I have ever read and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

This was a super fun read and a perfect love letter to the slasher genre, think 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙭 𝙈𝙮 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚 with a little sprinkling of 𝙈𝙞𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧.

I went into this totally blind and ate it up in one sitting, so that’s a win. Breathe In, Bleed Out follows Hannah who, devastated by grief following the death of her fiancé Ben, has turned to self destruction in the form of pills and alcohol and isolating herself from her friends.

When her best friend Tess propositions her with an invitation to an exclusive spiritual retreat, she decides that this may be the clean break and healing opportunity she needs. But when her friends start to disappear and the staff at the retreat start acting strangely, could Hannah need to face more than just her inner demons?

Local folk legends, cult-like behaviour and a whole lot of blood, guts and gore made this a very enjoyable read for me. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

It's supposed to be a reset—Hannah is still wading through the trauma of losing her boyfriend-come-fiancé in a terrible Event in the woods, and she's floundering. Enter a New-Age-y retreat in the California desert, where she (and, maybe more to the point, the friend who invited her) hopes she can get past her nightmares and flashbacks and into the swing of things.

One minor problem: People keep disappearing. And—although Hannah doesn't know this (the reader does)—they keep dying. Violently. And the why is less clear...

I do enjoy the occasional bloody thriller or, in this case, slasher book. (A girl has to have layers!) There are some interesting things with what the reader knows vs. what Hannah knows—I don't think it's giving too much away to say that it's welllll into the book before Hannah really understands that something is amiss.

Hannah and co. don't get to the camp until about a quarter of the way into the book, which is too bad; the setup before that puts some stakes to the event (though not all of those stakes are really followed up on), but they weren't stakes that I...had all too much a stake in...so I was happy when the "wellness retreat" part of things got going. My personal preference is for a little more psychological thrill (I like to be unable to sleep because I'm afraid that whatever likable characters are in the mix will die) and a little less douche-bro, but McAuley makes a point to keep just enough characters sympathetic for the reader to care whether they live or die.

Possibly my favorite part of the book is the author's note at the end, which provides some context for the inspiration and the way the book came to be. Still isn't my favorite type of mystery/thriller, but it makes a lot of sense in that context. And hey, summer murder camp vibes! Always fun.

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

A quick, campy slasher read full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed this! It kinda gave off Scooby-Doo vibes but for adults. I enjoyed reading this from Hanna's POV. There were multiple points where I couldn't tell if everything was actually happening or if she was crazy. There was also some great one liners. I feel like this would be a great movie! Highly recommend!

Breathe In, Bleed Out was such a quick read for me. I really enjoyed it. I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was wrong! I will definitely check out more by this author.

I had a good time with Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley, even though something about Hannah bothered me in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on. Hannah and her friends head to a spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree where she's hoping to heal from the trauma of her fiancé Ben's death during a wilderness trip, but someone starts picking off attendees in increasingly gruesome ways instead. McAuley clearly knows his slasher tropes and the kills are genuinely creative and gross in all the best ways, plus his satire of wellness culture hits the right notes without being too heavy-handed. But Hannah just never clicked for me - she seemed weirdly assertive and confrontational for someone who's supposedly been isolating herself and falling apart, like she had zero problem getting in people's faces or standing up for herself. Maybe that's just how this particular character was written, but it made it hard for me to buy into her supposed fragility or really care whether she survived to the end. The book works as a fun, bloody romp through familiar territory, but I kept wishing I could actually root for the final girl instead of just waiting for the next creative death scene.

Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley is a slasher novel that follows Hannah and her lingering grief, along with four of her friends, to a wellness retreat as they set their individual intentions to conquer some demons. Oh, and a pickax-wielding-killer stalking their every move. Or is this just one of Hannah’s grief-induced hallucinations? McAuley slays with this horror trope! The narrative was full of suspense and twists and kept me on edge until the last page.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.