Book Review: Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley

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

📚

Hannah Reynolds has been plagued by personal demons ever since the tragic wilderness trip where her financé died. Only she knows what really happened, and, despite experiencing waking nightmares haunted by his ghost, she has no plans to confess the truth. But when the strain begins to take a toll, Hannah reluctantly accepts an invitation to attend a remote getaway at a restorative, exclusive spiritual retreat out near Joshua Tree, California — the perfect opportunity for a fresh start and much-needed reconnection with her estranged friends.

While she remains skeptical of leader Guru Pax and his odd supernatural beliefs, Hannah initially finds the unplugged haven’s activities beneficial. Her peace is short-lived, however, as the sanctuary nosedives into a harrowing fight for survival when a mysterious slayer starts mercilessly murdering attendees in increasingly macabre and grisly ways. Has Hannah’s tenuous grip on her sanity finally snapped, or can she bury her dark past, expose the monster, and survive to see another day?

Breath In, Bleed Out is a hugely satisfying slasher that keeps the reader guessing through to the end. And while its characters appear cut from classic (unlikeable) stereotypes, they come with believable baggage and convincing backstories that make them feel real, flawed, and, ultimately, sympathetic: imperfect humans with ample room for growth. Moments of humor balance the simmering tension and blood-soaked chaos, while the region’s sinister and alluring history/local legend adds fuel to the proverbial fire, paving the way for an addictive, nightmarishly vivid account surrounding highs and lows, agendas and secrets, privilege and persona, reality and illusion, trust and betrayal, realization and release, trauma and mental health, cultural appropriation and capitalist greed, and self-discovery and survival.

The kills are absolutely brutal and shudder-worthy, producing a chilling and cinematic chronicle that harkens back to the greats while simultaneously carving its own path. Brian McAuley’s closing “Scream With Me” Author’s Note is a must-read homage to slashers and horror at large and is such a phenomenal read that a direct quote is the best way to do it justice: “. . . conflict is the crucible of human existence. Stories show us how to live through it all, but horror teaches us how to dance with death.” And the cover art — brilliant, pulpy, decadent, and darkly delicious!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an eARC of this forthcoming release (scheduled for publication September 2, 2025) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

🖤Amanda

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