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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While struggling to process the traumatic death of her fiancé Ben, Hannah’s professional and personal life frays at the seams. When she makes a nearly-deadly mistake at the hospital where she works, she’s put on leave and then reluctantly agrees to a trip to an exclusive and technology-free spiritual retreat with her estranged friends.
What could go wrong at an isolated location in the California desert dedicated to “wellness” and under the control of an enigmatic “guru” with eclectic beliefs? Apparently far more than Hannah and her friends could ever anticipate.
Breathe In, Bleed out is a fast-paced slasher/thriller with a flawed main character, whose hardships help to explain-but not justify-the more unpleasant aspects of her personality and behavior. Tormented by nightmarish visions, Hannah’s methods of coping with her fiancé‘s death are a combination of avoidant and self-destructive. As such, her desire to eventually embrace an unorthodox possibility for healing is very relatable.
Although the rest of her friend group doesn’t receive quite as much development as Hannah does before the situation starts to go very wrong, there are moments where they are portrayed sympathetically. Hannah’s best friend Tess and Guru Pax’s assistant Kimi are my second favorite characters after Hannah.
The villain of the story is very fitting for Breathe In, Bleed Out’s setting and their identity was something I hadn’t guessed, due to assuming the reveal would go in a different direction. The deaths are gory and creative-one in particular had me mentally wincing-and the mystery aspect kept me invested in the story.
Breathe In, Bleed out is a layered novel that touches upon the difficulties of personal healing, the dangerous unchecked aspects of wellness culture and the exploitative nature of cultural appropriation. The Author’s Note at the end of the book is also fantastic and provides wonderful insight into the author’s history and thought process.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and (Camp) NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
What could go wrong at an isolated location in the California desert dedicated to “wellness” and under the control of an enigmatic “guru” with eclectic beliefs? Apparently far more than Hannah and her friends could ever anticipate.
Breathe In, Bleed out is a fast-paced slasher/thriller with a flawed main character, whose hardships help to explain-but not justify-the more unpleasant aspects of her personality and behavior. Tormented by nightmarish visions, Hannah’s methods of coping with her fiancé‘s death are a combination of avoidant and self-destructive. As such, her desire to eventually embrace an unorthodox possibility for healing is very relatable.
Although the rest of her friend group doesn’t receive quite as much development as Hannah does before the situation starts to go very wrong, there are moments where they are portrayed sympathetically. Hannah’s best friend Tess and Guru Pax’s assistant Kimi are my second favorite characters after Hannah.
The villain of the story is very fitting for Breathe In, Bleed Out’s setting and their identity was something I hadn’t guessed, due to assuming the reveal would go in a different direction. The deaths are gory and creative-one in particular had me mentally wincing-and the mystery aspect kept me invested in the story.
Breathe In, Bleed out is a layered novel that touches upon the difficulties of personal healing, the dangerous unchecked aspects of wellness culture and the exploitative nature of cultural appropriation. The Author’s Note at the end of the book is also fantastic and provides wonderful insight into the author’s history and thought process.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and (Camp) NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts
Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC
To put it simply, this book was fun. The characters. The dialogue. The theory crafting about who did it. It evoked sitting in your living room on a Saturday night comfy in your PJs watching on an old crt as someone gets taken out after a cheesy oneliner. This book absolutely takes it's place in the slasher genre, both paying respect to what has come before and adding it's own voice and flair.
This was my first Brian McAuley book, but rest assured it won't be my last.
To put it simply, this book was fun. The characters. The dialogue. The theory crafting about who did it. It evoked sitting in your living room on a Saturday night comfy in your PJs watching on an old crt as someone gets taken out after a cheesy oneliner. This book absolutely takes it's place in the slasher genre, both paying respect to what has come before and adding it's own voice and flair.
This was my first Brian McAuley book, but rest assured it won't be my last.
I’m always down for a good slasher, and this one was such a fun ride! It had everything I look for: plenty of gore, annoying characters, and a remote setting.
The whole “locked room” vibe at a spiritual retreat in the desert was perfect. It gave me Friday the 13th summer camp energy, with that eerie feeling of being cut off from the outside world.
I also loved the touch of an unreliable narrator. You’re constantly wondering is there really a killer, or is Hannah losing it? We get a decent amount of Hannah’s backstory, but the other characters felt a bit flat. That kind of worked for me, makes it easier not to get too attached when bodies start dropping.
Overall, it’s fast-paced, bloody, and just a good time. I had fun trying to figure out who the killer was, and the ending definitely surprised me. A perfect pick for Summerween or if you’re just in the mood for something slashy and entertaining!
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own. This book will be released on September 2nd, 2025.
Read if you’re into:
The whole “locked room” vibe at a spiritual retreat in the desert was perfect. It gave me Friday the 13th summer camp energy, with that eerie feeling of being cut off from the outside world.
I also loved the touch of an unreliable narrator. You’re constantly wondering is there really a killer, or is Hannah losing it? We get a decent amount of Hannah’s backstory, but the other characters felt a bit flat. That kind of worked for me, makes it easier not to get too attached when bodies start dropping.
Overall, it’s fast-paced, bloody, and just a good time. I had fun trying to figure out who the killer was, and the ending definitely surprised me. A perfect pick for Summerween or if you’re just in the mood for something slashy and entertaining!
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own. This book will be released on September 2nd, 2025.
Read if you’re into:
Breathe In, Bleed Out was such a bloody fun ride. Brian McAuley takes the classic slasher format and filters it through a modern lens. Fame, addiction, recovery, and influencer culture—making it feel both nostalgic and sharply relevant.
At the center of it all is Hannah, a troubled influencer fresh off a public meltdown who checks herself into an upscale rehab facility. From the start, there’s this thick unease pulsing beneath the surface, and it only intensifies as the body count rises. The rehab setting is a brilliant twist, it’s isolated, full of secrets, and already emotionally charged, which makes the slasher elements hit even harder.
What really worked for me was how the story balances horror with character development. Hannah isn’t just a final girl stereotype. She’s flawed, real, and genuinely trying to get better, even as her world spirals into chaos. The kills are vicious and creatively done, but there’s also a strong emotional undercurrent about identity, addiction, and the masks we wear for fame.
McAuley’s writing is tight, stylish, and cinematic. The horror isn’t just gore… it’s the quiet dread of withdrawal, the paranoia of not knowing who to trust, and the pressure of public image. It’s nothing like I’ve read before, and it honestly opened my eyes to a whole new kind of slasher: one where the horror is both physical and psychological.
I knocked off one star only because a few moments felt a little over-the-top or slightly rushed near the end, BUT honestly, that’s part of the charm. This book knows what it is and fully commits.
If you’re into slashers, addiction horror, or stories that combine bloody fun with real emotional stakes, Breathe In, Bleed Out will absolutely deliver. I’ll definitely be reading more from Brian McAuley.
At the center of it all is Hannah, a troubled influencer fresh off a public meltdown who checks herself into an upscale rehab facility. From the start, there’s this thick unease pulsing beneath the surface, and it only intensifies as the body count rises. The rehab setting is a brilliant twist, it’s isolated, full of secrets, and already emotionally charged, which makes the slasher elements hit even harder.
What really worked for me was how the story balances horror with character development. Hannah isn’t just a final girl stereotype. She’s flawed, real, and genuinely trying to get better, even as her world spirals into chaos. The kills are vicious and creatively done, but there’s also a strong emotional undercurrent about identity, addiction, and the masks we wear for fame.
McAuley’s writing is tight, stylish, and cinematic. The horror isn’t just gore… it’s the quiet dread of withdrawal, the paranoia of not knowing who to trust, and the pressure of public image. It’s nothing like I’ve read before, and it honestly opened my eyes to a whole new kind of slasher: one where the horror is both physical and psychological.
I knocked off one star only because a few moments felt a little over-the-top or slightly rushed near the end, BUT honestly, that’s part of the charm. This book knows what it is and fully commits.
If you’re into slashers, addiction horror, or stories that combine bloody fun with real emotional stakes, Breathe In, Bleed Out will absolutely deliver. I’ll definitely be reading more from Brian McAuley.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Starting from the end, this book contains the longest author’s note I’ve ever read, but also one of my favourites of all time. Thank you for the passionate love letter to the slasher genre.
Breath In, Bleed Out - besides being a genius title - is your standard, following to a t, slasher; getting into the story expecting nothing more of it will leave you satisfied and pleasantly surprised. The unique setting and the plentiful food for thought the wellness industry comes with offered a new take on the genre I feel the author managed to delve into very well and make the most out of.
Its weakest point was, in my opinion, the reveal and the overall ending (but I’m also very finicky about them in general) which felt rushed and a bit unrealistic. I’m also not the biggest fan of this type of plot device to portray unreliable narrators, and of resorting to telling instead of showing to explain the villain’s “big evil plan” to the reader. But a bravo for the killing scenes!
This review was possible thanks to NetGalley review program. Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for granting me access to the advanced reader copy of the novel.
A riveting and bingeworthy slasher- I was successfully misdirected at every turn and kept constantly guessing and theorizing the entire time. It was such a fast paced entertaining read.
The wellness industrial complex is its own horror story in itself, and the depiction of the Avidya holistic wellness retreat didn’t even feel all that unrealistic - the cultural appropriation, the cynical cash grabs, the white man dressed in full linen. I never really knew I needed a slasher in this setting but it was very well done.
It was little over the top and campy (in the best way) and it felt like it fit into the canon of classic slashers very well. It followed classic tropes and themes while turning them on their head in the new wellness/woo-woo setting. I didn’t see everything coming by a long shot, but the spirit of a classic slashers was definitely there.
The plot was fast paced and interesting to keep up with, though there was a LOT going on and the ending wrapped up a little too quickly given how much there was to resolve. But overall, such a fun time (despite the slashing)!
thank you to netgalley & poisoned pen press for this eARC!
The wellness industrial complex is its own horror story in itself, and the depiction of the Avidya holistic wellness retreat didn’t even feel all that unrealistic - the cultural appropriation, the cynical cash grabs, the white man dressed in full linen. I never really knew I needed a slasher in this setting but it was very well done.
It was little over the top and campy (in the best way) and it felt like it fit into the canon of classic slashers very well. It followed classic tropes and themes while turning them on their head in the new wellness/woo-woo setting. I didn’t see everything coming by a long shot, but the spirit of a classic slashers was definitely there.
The plot was fast paced and interesting to keep up with, though there was a LOT going on and the ending wrapped up a little too quickly given how much there was to resolve. But overall, such a fun time (despite the slashing)!
thank you to netgalley & poisoned pen press for this eARC!
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There will be a lot of people who like this book, I was just not one of them.
The majority of this story is set in a yoga retreat out in the wilderness. We follow Hannah, who is dealing with the death of her fiance after a camping trip gone wrong. Hannah has barely been able to deal with the death of Ben, her friends have been pushed to the side, her life is spiraling. One of Hannah's friends convince her to go to a yoga retreat, helped along by the insistence of her counselor, and during the weekend Hannah has to figure out whether what she's experiencing is real or her brain playing tricks on her.
This should have been a book that I loved, I love horror, I love slasher movies, I've really enjoyed a lot of slasher/horror books lately, but this just wasn't it. I hated all of the characters, even the ones we're meant to like. The friendships felt really off and forced, the yoga retreat instructor was insufferable, and for someone who is meant to be a junior doctor Hannah seemed to have less than basic medical information. The ending was very rushed, I don't understand how any of the deaths are missed given that everything is being recorded, and the twist was lacking.
I do think it is good that there was a subplot exploring just how exploitative and predatory self help culture can be, as well as how trauma and PTSD can affect emotions and memory, and that it can seriously affect anyone regardless of who you are.
There will be a lot of people who like this book, I was just not one of them.
The majority of this story is set in a yoga retreat out in the wilderness. We follow Hannah, who is dealing with the death of her fiance after a camping trip gone wrong. Hannah has barely been able to deal with the death of Ben, her friends have been pushed to the side, her life is spiraling. One of Hannah's friends convince her to go to a yoga retreat, helped along by the insistence of her counselor, and during the weekend Hannah has to figure out whether what she's experiencing is real or her brain playing tricks on her.
This should have been a book that I loved, I love horror, I love slasher movies, I've really enjoyed a lot of slasher/horror books lately, but this just wasn't it. I hated all of the characters, even the ones we're meant to like. The friendships felt really off and forced, the yoga retreat instructor was insufferable, and for someone who is meant to be a junior doctor Hannah seemed to have less than basic medical information. The ending was very rushed, I don't understand how any of the deaths are missed given that everything is being recorded, and the twist was lacking.
I do think it is good that there was a subplot exploring just how exploitative and predatory self help culture can be, as well as how trauma and PTSD can affect emotions and memory, and that it can seriously affect anyone regardless of who you are.
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I came for the gorgeous cover and stayed for the slasher mystery and gnarly kills. Hannah’s had it rough since that day in the mountains when she lost her fiancée, a day only she knows the truth about. Since that day, she’s haunted by visions of her fiancée and is just barely hanging on. After a nearly fatal mistake at the hospital where she works, she takes her friend up on an offer to reconnect and make an attempt at a fresh start at an exclusive wellness retreat. But something’s a little off at this retreat. With legends of a haunted mine, a shady guru, and her own terrible visions that haunt her, Hannah begins to question everything, including her own grip on reality.
I had such a fun time with this read! It’s the perfect spooky get away that’s a little bit Scream with a dash of Midsommar. The double mystery of what happened on the mountain that day together with what was happening at the resort kept me super invested. The kills were deliciously gruesome and inventive, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. It definitely made me want to read more from this author and I’ll definitely be checking out more of their work this spooky season!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. This review was written voluntarily.