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A review by crafty_goblin
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley
dark
funny
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? N/A
5.0
I think I found a new author I'll put on auto order with this book ! I definitely put Brian's other books on my TBR.
I have so much fun with this witty, gory, dark and funny slasher story!
First of all, let's be honest, I initially requested this Arc on Netgalley for the cover. I barely read the summary but give me slasher vibes and a hot 80's style horror book cover and I'm all in.
I grew up with movies like black Christmas, Scream, I know what you did last summer or Psycho. This kind of horror is definitely my cup of tea and Brian McAuley's Breathe in, Bleed out lives up to it.
The character development is good, the female characters too (something I always find tricky to root for when written as a main character by a man).
And you definitely has this slasher "campus" vibes. The meetup between old school friends who grew up mostly out of the friendship over the years and do this retreat more for old time sake even if they kind of hate each other (did they really liked each other at some point or as all school friends dynamics, just stick with the first people coming around to fit in the crowd and don't be seen as outsider ?) is part of the horror trip for me 😅.
I like how the cultural appropriation is approached here and I thought at first that was it, I got the killer and the main plot line and then it bounced from one possibility to another but still keep everything wrapped up together thighly. I loved that !
It's really solid. Great plot, great development, excellent dynamics between the characters, it's well written, witty and unapologetically gross sometimes.
Anyway, I'm always rooting for unhinge female character in horror, witty and sarcastic, who tries to keep her own head out and ends up doing all the work. I loved Hannah really much and the trio of "final girls" vibes is a good bonus.
I have so much fun with this witty, gory, dark and funny slasher story!
First of all, let's be honest, I initially requested this Arc on Netgalley for the cover. I barely read the summary but give me slasher vibes and a hot 80's style horror book cover and I'm all in.
I grew up with movies like black Christmas, Scream, I know what you did last summer or Psycho. This kind of horror is definitely my cup of tea and Brian McAuley's Breathe in, Bleed out lives up to it.
The character development is good, the female characters too (something I always find tricky to root for when written as a main character by a man).
And you definitely has this slasher "campus" vibes. The meetup between old school friends who grew up mostly out of the friendship over the years and do this retreat more for old time sake even if they kind of hate each other (did they really liked each other at some point or as all school friends dynamics, just stick with the first people coming around to fit in the crowd and don't be seen as outsider ?) is part of the horror trip for me 😅.
I like how the cultural appropriation is approached here and I thought at first that was it, I got the killer and the main plot line and then it bounced from one possibility to another but still keep everything wrapped up together thighly. I loved that !
It's really solid. Great plot, great development, excellent dynamics between the characters, it's well written, witty and unapologetically gross sometimes.
Anyway, I'm always rooting for unhinge female character in horror, witty and sarcastic, who tries to keep her own head out and ends up doing all the work. I loved Hannah really much and the trio of "final girls" vibes is a good bonus.