A review by ristretto
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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.