This is @brianmcwriter’s best book. I said it. It’s true. And I love CURSE OF THE REAPER, CANDY CAIN, and CANDY CAIN KILLS AGAIN. Yet somehow Brian found a way to clear that high bar with this absolutely engrossing spa retreat slasher. Our MC is Hannah, suffering from extreme PTSD, very much haunted by the death of her fiancé Ben. She’s been drifting from her best friend, from everyone. So her best friend cooks up a trip to a trippy retreat in Joshua Tree. With the reluctant approval of her therapist, Hannah heads to the desert. And then the bodies start to drop. Not only are we fully immersed in Hannah’s journey and what happened to Ben, but we’re also in the hands of a master when it comes to the tension… and the kills. McCauley keeps you guessing all the way to the end, and gives us a fresh take on slashers. It’s extremely atmospheric, compulsive, and propulsive, and, of course, SCARY! You love to see a great writer get even greater. This one comes out in September, preorder from your fave indie!

We all love an A24 movie, but when you want to relax we all know it’s Halloween, Scream or Childs play that we are really reaching for, something Brian McAuley knows best!

McAuley can do no wrong in my eyes! Fast becoming one of the masters of the slasher genre. The way he creates comfort with the familiar tropes and beats of all our favourite flasher movies. The characters he writes have such heart that I never feel like I’m just reading a tired worn out idea. They hold your attention, they are not merely fodder in our monsters path, and this to me is what makes McAuley great. While I absolutely love the unthinking of Friday the 13th, McAuleys MC always strive for Sidney or Laurie - fully fleshed, making you back them all the more.

A fun comfort read, that you should definitely pre order!!

A brilliantly executed slasher written by an author who clearly loves and respects the genre. I wouldn't expect anything less from Brian McAuley, who never fails to disappoint.

Breathe In, Bleed Out is a sly, subversive sendup of modern influencer and pop-wellness culture centered around our final girl, Hannah, who is haunted by the death of her boyfriend. A year later she reluctantly joins her former friend group who have invited her to a spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, California. Her journey of self-discovery turns to terror when a killer starts picking off the attendees one by one.

I quickly devoured McAuley’s latest entry; tickled by the creative kills and wildly trying to guess the killer’s identity up until the final clever twist. Breathe In, Bleed Out is highly recommended for fellow slasher fans – this reads like a slick modern horror film brought to life on page. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a particular nod to Taylor Swift’s “Down Bad,” one of my recent favorites from the singer that somehow fits the mood of the book perfectly.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Everything about it. I love a getaway setting honestly, and a secluded wellness retreat was so fun!! This was a first for me, and I am craving more.

The kills were brutal, the characters gave exactly what they were meant to give, and I feel like this grief slasher (is that thing lmao) was just written so perfectly. I can not wait for people to read this book.

This book hit me really hard, not because I lost a fiancé, but because I lost my best friend.

Here are some quotes and things I loved-

"I wouldn't have listened. You know that"
-jfc f me all the way up

"I'm sorry I couldn't make you all feel better about how supportive you were being. I was in mourning, okay?"

Some part of me still yearns for the sweet relief of the big leap. The final release of giving up. Thankfully, my higher self is stronger.

it's been nothing more than a busy distraction from the void of my existence.

I know it feels like you've hit bottom, but it's not the end.

I could keep going, there were so many things I highlighted in this book.

ALSO THERE IS AN ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT REFERENCE and if you know me, you know how giddy I was to see that

Anyway, Breathe In, Bleed Out definitely needs to be added to the TOP of your TBR.

Breathe In, Bleed Out by Bryan McAuley is my latest slasher obsession. This one is pure dread and horror, the perfect read when you're after something dark and sharp.

Set against the unrelenting heat of the Californian desert, five friends head off on the ultimate wellness journey to a retreat called Avidya.

Our main character, Hannah, is running from the trauma of her past and the death of her fiancé, but what starts as healing quickly spirals into something far more dangerous.

If you’re looking for a fun, bloody time, I can’t recommend this enough. Release date is September 2nd , get it on your TBR, you don’t want to miss this one!

For me, this was a 3.5/ 3.75, but I’m rounding up to a 4 because McAuley is such an excellent writer. Breathe In, Bleed Out is an interesting slasher, and definitely not like any others I’ve read. The setting instantly put me on edge with a secluded, illusive “wellness retreat” because that honestly sounds like a legit nightmare. Literally could never be me! There’s also a couple “villains” which adds to the intrigue. There’s bound to be some tense times when you throw an unreliable character that’s been through a lot of trauma into the mix. You definitely want to keep reading to find out what exactly is going on. I know McAuley has written some Lifetime movies and I could definitely see this as one. I LOVE Lifetime movies so that is a plus for me. This one is a lot of fun and I would definitely recommend it. Curse of the Reaper is still my favorite so this one just didn’t hit like Reaper did but I still enjoyed my time with this book

ARC 📖 Review: Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley
Pub Date: September 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was probably my favorite slasher in a while! I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next, but I couldn’t get it right. 🤣 Such a fun read; I highly recommend this one!

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🌬️🪓🩸

Hannah has been running from her demons ever since she emerged from a harrowing wilderness trip without her fiancé. No one knows exactly what happened the day Ben died, and Hannah would like to keep it that way... even if his ghost still haunts her with vivid waking nightmares that are ruining her life. So when her friend group gets an exclusive invitation to a restorative spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, Hannah reluctantly agrees in search of a fresh start.

#slasherbooks #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #read #reader #arcreader #bookish #booklife #booknerd #horrorreads #booklover #books #horrorreader

Hannah is a big hot mess of a woman, but for perfectly good reason, and i love that her friends decided to take her to a retreat to help her get over those demons, and boy does that not end well for any of them. I loved everything about this book, from Guru Pax....super weird.....to the rattlesnake....favorite part of the whole book. I loved that when I thought I kinda figured out who it could be or who could of been in on the killer comes out slashing and it was from way left field and I thought that was great. I love slasher films and the way they can get creative with their killings and this book for sure had some crazy killings which made it all the more fantastic.

Wow!!! This book was such a wild and fun read! I literally could not put this book down!
The writing was incredible! The way I was able to paint my own movie in my head and felt like I could in-vision everything that I was reading made this book even more suspenseful!

I found that I connected with the main character in so many ways, even down to our shared nickname, Banana. 🍌

The ending left me like 🤯😱… needless to say, I was left speechless. With its gruesome twists and nonstop suspense, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and had me guessing right up until the final chapter. I love me an unpredictable ending!!

If you’re looking for a fun slasher book… this is a must read for all my horror fans!

𝑳𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆, 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓, 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈.

An absolute must-read for slasher fans, BREATHE IN, BLEED OUT was campy, nostalgic, creepy, with some truly perceptive insights into human nature.

Hannah has suffered a truly traumatic event. She and her fiancé Ben went on a wilderness trip, but only Hannah came back. Only Hannah knows what happened the day Ben died, and she won't talk about it even with her close friends. Also, no one knows that Ben has been haunting her ever since through horrific waking nightmares replete with imagery; the crunch of snow, the bright sheen of blood, and the accusing look in Ben's eyes.

After being placed on leave at work, Hannah is adrift with too much free time. So when her friend group gets an exclusive invitation to a restorative spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, Hannah reluctantly agrees, determined to put the past behind her.

Right away, we have all the ingredients for a grade-A slasher...a remote location, a charismatic yet mysterious guru, and a journey to 'self-discovery' that quickly descends into hell on Earth when an unnamed killer begins targeting the group and killing them one by one, each kill grislier than the one before.

I didn't figure out the identity of the slasher until right before the big reveal because I was so caught up in the story. This one is completely immersive and pulls you in to Hannah's world right away. For me, Ben's death speaks to the guilt we often feel when we take on burdens that aren't ours to carry.

The author's notes are NOT to be missed! Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the early copy. This title is expected to publish September 2, 2025.

Breathe In, Bleed Out was a refreshing surprise. This book read like a 90s slasher movie with elements of 80s sprinkled in for effect. I found myself experiencing watching Scream for the first time, that whodunit, you think you know but you don’t, type of horror thriller. If you take “New Age+Camp Crystal Lake+Scream+Final Destination Style Action = VIBES OF THIS BOOK!!!!!” I highly recommend this book if you like strong FMC with a little attitude, a few laughs sprinkled throughout and a keep you guessing, whodunit style ending! Picture a gruesome Scooby Doo reveal!
Meet Hannah, late twenties something who just lost her fiancé in a horrible accident while hiking in the wild. Hannah is a med student and is trying to get back on track with her life, minus Ben. She realizes, after a mistake, that she needs to take a break and what better opportunity than a free, new age, healing retreat. A place to unplug and get back to who she is. However, this retreat doesn’t end up being healing at all. Bodies start turning up and Hannah must figure out what’s going on, in order to save herself.
Highly recommend this read and I will be going to check out more of this author’s books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

McAuley mentions putting up a tent and gathering around in sleeping bags with a horror rental- and that's exactly the vibe this book brought to the function, to me. Hannah is struggling after the death of her fiancé; not only his death, but the traumatic experience of being responsible for dragging his death back to civility during a snowy hike. She is plagued by memories and near hallucinations where she is certain she is conversing with Ben, usually seeing him disfigured and covered in blood. Left to her own devices, Hannah distances herself from her best friend and any semblance of a social life. When her birthday comes, said best friend Tess ends up convincing her to start fresh on a wilderness retreat with a group of old friends. Guru Pax is instantly charming and whimsical, sharing his mystical goodness with the rest of the group to varied results. This book truly had NO BUSINESS being as funny as it was- some of the insiders, pop culture references, and reactions by the characters were so good. I think it's worth noting that good or bad qualities, this action made each character jump off the page. Some segments were close to suspending belief, but I honestly had so much fun with this one. This is my third by this author, and I think it cemented McAuley as an auto buy for me. His love for slashers as a genre- down to technicalities and nuances- shines through in every piece of literature he pens, and it's a joy for a fan to experience. Thanks so much to the author and publisher for the chance to read and rate an eARC!

thank you poisoned pen press & netgalley for this arc!!

like i told adam cesare after a screening of clown in a cornfield this week, i've been determined to read my way through a bunch of slashers -- i feel like they can be soooo hard to accomplish in novel form because they either take themselves too seriously or not seriously enough, and it's really challenging to strike that balance between thrilling unease and campy humor.

reading this, you can tell the author has a huge love for the slasher genre. the kills were creative and the twists were entertaining and honestly, by the time i got to the end, i liked this a hell of a lot more than i thought i would when i was in the first half. i wouldn't call this scary, but mcauley delivered exactly what he set out to do, and i think this would be SUCH a fun summer slasher to watch in a drive-in (or, in this case, to binge read during an end-of-summer storm in september).

A fun, kill-centric slasher, Breathe In, Bleed Out perfectly delivers on its intent—a sensorial slasher filled with familiar (but endearing) character stereotypes, ample humor, and inventive death scenes. It’s a welcoming change of pace to read something that prioritizes the visceral experience over deep symbolism or social commentary.

Retreats in isolated geographical locations seem to be a popular setting in this year’s genre fiction, and Breathe In, Bleed Out features one of the more vividly rendered ones, with just the right amount of lore sprinkled in. If I had to nitpick, I did find the killer’s identity a little out of left field—a bit of an “oh, that’s it?” moment after a slew of more intriguing possibilities.

Breathe In, Bleed Out doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a strong homage to franchises like Scream or Friday the 13th, with some very creative storytelling decisions thrown in. As someone who’s read several of Brian McAuley’s works (Candy Cain Kills remains my favorite), this is another solid addition to his growing body of work.

Like the author says in his notes at the end, every final girl needs a back story. I loved that Hannah was messy. I loved that she had raw emotions and baggage and wasn’t handling it in the healthiest way. While we got her story, I was worried we weren’t going to get the slasher we were promised. But as soon as we get to the retreat. McAuley makes do on his promise. Slasher fans will appreciate the artist kills and multiple threads leading you to suspect everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brian McAuley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
We follow Hannah after she suffered a tragic horrifying hiking trip with her fiancé. When her life starts to spiral her friend Tess invites her to a new age retreat with some of their college friends. As people start disappearing, Hannah realizes this wasn’t the spiritual retreat she was looking for.

If you’re a fan of slashers, then I think you’ll really enjoy this one. You can tell the author is a fan of Scream and just wait fir the twist at end.

BOOK REVIEW: Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley

Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC of Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley in exchange for an honest review!

Publication date: September 2nd, 2025

4.5 ⭐️

Synopsis:

Following the death of her fiancé Ben during a tragic hiking trip in the snowy mountains, Hannah is left haunted by vivid nightmares and a reality that’s slowly slipping through her fingers. In a desperate bid for healing, she joins a group of old friends- now distant since the loss- for a tech-free spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree. As she confronts her grief, trauma, and fractured relationships, the line between transcendence and complete unraveling begins to blur. Will this journey help her reclaim her mind, or push her even further into the abyss?

Review:

This book was such a fun, fast paced bloody twisty time! The author teases so many possible truths and theories throughout the book that you’re never quite sure which thread to trust, and that tension makes for an addictive read.

Each character felt nicely layered and carried emotional weight and secrets that kept me guessing. One line from the author’s note particularly resonated with me: “After all, there’s no mask more deceptive than the human face.” That idea is woven so cleverly into the story’s twists, making you question motives, identities, and realities right up to the final pages.

Final thoughts:

While I absolutely loved the way the story played out and ended in a general sense, I did find myself wishing for just a bit more closure on a few plot points and characters. That small detail kept it from being a full five stars for me- but honestly, this was still a really fun read that I won’t soon forget!

Recommendation:

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun, fast paced psychological slasher with plenty of twists and thrills!

Themes:

🩸 Grief & Trauma
⛏️ Psychological struggle
🧘‍♀️ Spirituality vs Exploitation
🕉️ Isolation & Disconnection
🐍 Trust & Deception

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I didn’t think this would be my first Brian McAuley read, but it was and it did not disappoint! It hit every sweet spot that I crave in a slasher horror. The wellness retreat setting was such a fresh idea and each character was perfectly irritating in their own unique way.

It was definitely a page turner. I was able to finish this read in 2.5 days. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for some gory Scooby Doo/Scream/final girl vibes. I wouldn’t change a thing about this story; it was fun, cheesy, and a perfect 10 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brian McAuley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a short and not at all sweet slasher type novel! I whipped through this one and I loved the gore, the unique kills and the twists. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

If you love slashers, then this is perfect for you! After reading the Author’s Note, you can tell the author is a fan of Scream! And the twist at then end was jaw dropping.

We follow Hannah after she suffered a horrific hiking trip with her fiancé. When her life starts to get out of control, her BFF Tess invites her to a new age retreat with a few of their college friends. As people start disappearing, Hannah realizes this wasn’t the spiritual retreat she thought it was.

If you’re a fan of slashers, then I think you’ll love Breathe In, Bleed Out!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Breathe In, Bleed Out in exchange for my honest review!