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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A slasher is somewhat out of my comfort reading zone, but I can very much enjoy it as a movie and when I saw this title I felt this was a perfect try-out to see if the genre would be as addictive on pages as it is on screen. And I must say that it was addictive and it had all the tropes the big screen also brings: the disposable characters, the usual suspect who turns out to be just an unlikeable guy, the unusual suspect who turns out to be the killer and the heroine who solves the whole puzzle. All neatly wrapped with a bow at the end.
I did like the writing style of the author and the setting of the retreat, which was very reminiscent of [book: Nine Perfect Strangers|39280445]. The pace was at a perfect setting for this kind of story and I liked the back story of Ben. What I didn't like was the identity of the killer, which seemed way too farfetched and very unlikely. It just felt like an easy way out for the author to wrap it all up, hence the three stars.
All in all, it was a nice change from my usual reading, but not a genre I'll take on further.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisened Pen Press, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This horror novel had me guessing until the end who the real villain was and what was truth from hallucinations. It tells the story of Hannah, a survivor of a tragic accident involving her fiancé, in which she struggles with grief, guilt, and hallucinations. Time has passed, but her psche is not getting better, and it is affecting her work and personal relationships.
She agrees to go on a healing retreat in the desert with her friends, but things take a dark turn quickly, lines get blurred, and she can't tell if what she is experiencing is reality or a nightmare when the retreat's shady guru is suspicious, people start to disappear, and she thinks she's being haunted by a murderous miner's ghost.
The plot is thick with tension, paranoia, and mystery. We get tidbits throughout the story from flashbacks about the mystery surrounding Hannah's tragic accident and the death of her fiancé. The story was well written, with mystery, indistinct reality, and the plot twist at the end was a surprise.
She agrees to go on a healing retreat in the desert with her friends, but things take a dark turn quickly, lines get blurred, and she can't tell if what she is experiencing is reality or a nightmare when the retreat's shady guru is suspicious, people start to disappear, and she thinks she's being haunted by a murderous miner's ghost.
The plot is thick with tension, paranoia, and mystery. We get tidbits throughout the story from flashbacks about the mystery surrounding Hannah's tragic accident and the death of her fiancé. The story was well written, with mystery, indistinct reality, and the plot twist at the end was a surprise.
I did have a good time reading this and it kept me turning the pages
But I wish we had a bit more shocking moments and the reveal fell a little flat for me
I would definitely read more horror stories from this author though
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
But I wish we had a bit more shocking moments and the reveal fell a little flat for me
I would definitely read more horror stories from this author though
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
Oh my gosh this book was so much fun! It was a story straight out of an 80s slasher with a modern take. I loved the Joshua Tree, yoga retreat setting that the majority of the story takes place at. Each character was so vivid and had their distinct personality. Glad I got to read this one early, perfect slasher summer vibes but it’ll be a great transition book for the start of spooky season.
Thank you NetGalley, Brian McAuley, and the publisher poisoned pen press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley, Brian McAuley, and the publisher poisoned pen press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An advanced copy of this book was provided through Camp NetGalley.
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley is eerie, gripping, and filled with escalating tension that will keep you questioning everything until the final page. At the center of the story is Hannah, an unreliable narrator grappling with profound loss and unresolved trauma. As she checks into a tech-free wellness retreat in search of healing, what unfolds is a chilling descent into paranoia, uncertainty, and something much more sinister.
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley is eerie, gripping, and filled with escalating tension that will keep you questioning everything until the final page. At the center of the story is Hannah, an unreliable narrator grappling with profound loss and unresolved trauma. As she checks into a tech-free wellness retreat in search of healing, what unfolds is a chilling descent into paranoia, uncertainty, and something much more sinister.
McAuley cleverly uses Hannah’s fractured perspective to hold up a mirror to the world of wellness culture, particularly its appropriation of spiritual and healing practices from the global majority. As guests at the resort begin to vanish and Hannah’s grasp on reality falters, the reader is left to untangle what’s real, what’s imagined, and who, if anyone, can be trusted.
This novel delivers classic summer slasher vibes with a smart, socially conscious twist. I especially appreciated the final reveal, which ties the tension together in a satisfying, unsettling way.
If you enjoy psychological horror, unreliable narrators, and horror that digs into cultural critique, Breathe In, Bleed Out should be on your reading list.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC Review of Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley 🩸🏜️🧘🏻♀️🏔️⛺️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5
What do the Marines, yoga mats, cowboy wardrobes, sound baths, and amethyst crystals have in common? This crazy psychological horror.
This is one of the best ARCs I have ever received. It was such a fun summer slasher and when you get to the amethyst part - please let me know.
Hannah has been stuck in the past while grieving her ex-fiancé, Ben, so her friends drag her to an undiscovered wellness retreat in Joshua Tree. There is an unreliable narrator, gruesome murder, and the exploration of grief and female friendship (and rage) in this story.
I stayed up way too late reading this but devoured it in two days and will absolutely be ordering a copy. If you’re in the mood for a summer slasher, with unpredictable plot twists please grab this when it comes out on September 2nd.
Thank you so much to @netgalley, @poisonedpenpress and @brianmcwriter for the chance to read and review this one!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5
What do the Marines, yoga mats, cowboy wardrobes, sound baths, and amethyst crystals have in common? This crazy psychological horror.
This is one of the best ARCs I have ever received. It was such a fun summer slasher and when you get to the amethyst part - please let me know.
Hannah has been stuck in the past while grieving her ex-fiancé, Ben, so her friends drag her to an undiscovered wellness retreat in Joshua Tree. There is an unreliable narrator, gruesome murder, and the exploration of grief and female friendship (and rage) in this story.
I stayed up way too late reading this but devoured it in two days and will absolutely be ordering a copy. If you’re in the mood for a summer slasher, with unpredictable plot twists please grab this when it comes out on September 2nd.
Thank you so much to @netgalley, @poisonedpenpress and @brianmcwriter for the chance to read and review this one!
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Breathe In, Bleed Out absolutely delivers a slasher novel that fits the setting (an exclusive woo-woo desert retreat) perfectly. Well paced, lots of different dynamics with the characters, and honestly my only complaint is that I feel there's just a bit too much misdirection as the story approaches the climax... the main suspect bounces around rapidly in the end after the red herring is slowly built up over the course of the novel, which is fun but a bit distracting in the midst of all the action . But I had a blast reading it, and I'm very grateful this was offered as a Camp NetGalley option this summer!
Big thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an advanced reader's copy of Breathe In, Bleed Out!
Big thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an advanced reader's copy of Breathe In, Bleed Out!
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked it but I wish there was more. I liked that I felt like I was watching a movie when reading. It was definitely written more into a movie like format. I did think some of it was set up weird, there were moments when I couldn’t tell when it was a flashback. I wish there was an epilogue, the last chapter felt like one but I wish there was just more to it
dark
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This sort of horror— set at wellness retreats, health spas, etc.— isn’t the sort of horror I usually go for. I actually tend to not go for it because all of that makes me roll my eyes and makes the story less enjoyable. That being said, I decided to give it a try this time.
It was definitely still a struggle sometimes, I hated every second of the actual wellness activities being played out, but the fact that Hannah started waking up to the bullshit, too, made it more tolerable. That being said, the deaths in this book were gross, they were gory, they were memorable. Exactly the kind of deaths I love in slasher films.
Is this a deep book that’s going to answer life’s questions? No. But is it fun? Absolutely. And sometimes that’s all I’m looking for, is a fun slasher with a pretty good twist and a badass final girl.
It was definitely still a struggle sometimes, I hated every second of the actual wellness activities being played out, but the fact that Hannah started waking up to the bullshit, too, made it more tolerable. That being said, the deaths in this book were gross, they were gory, they were memorable. Exactly the kind of deaths I love in slasher films.
Is this a deep book that’s going to answer life’s questions? No. But is it fun? Absolutely. And sometimes that’s all I’m looking for, is a fun slasher with a pretty good twist and a badass final girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood