The book's premise intrigues me, and it starts out with a lot of promise. Unfortunately, I found the execution to be inconsistent. Characterization was at times superficial, and the back half of the book (after a twist that was foreshadowed to the point of being telegraphed) ricocheted from plot point to plot point. I feel like there could have been a phenomenal novel with a bit more fine-tuning.

This book is PERFECT! The cover is what drew me in and I absolutely had to have it! I even bought a physical copy because of how much I LOVED this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!

The nitty-gritty: Five young writers get the chance of a lifetime in this high octane thriller debut with surprises around every corner.

The Writing Retreat is one of those thrillers that starts out strong and keeps you guessing, and then later in the story sort of goes off the rails with lots of over-the-top action and drama. But I really did have fun reading it, despite some of the ridiculous things that happen.

Alex works for a publishing agency, but her dream is to be a published author. It’s a dream that seems unattainable, until one day her friend Ursula—whose first novel has just been released—calls her with some amazing news. The reclusive Roza Vallo, Alex’s favorite author, is holding an exclusive writing retreat for four promising women writers, hand selected by Roza herself. Alex applied for the retreat and wasn’t one of the final four, but now someone has dropped out and there’s a spot available. And according to Ursula, Alex is in. Alex can’t believe her luck. Not only will she get to spend a month at Blackbriar, Roza’s remote Victorian mansion, but she’ll be mentored by her literary hero.

Alex arrives at Blackbriar, eager to meet her fellow writers and of course, Roza. She bonds right away with a girl named Poppy, and later meets Taylor and Kiera. But Alex is shocked when her ex-best friend Wren—who she hasn’t spoken to in over a year—shows up as a fifth member of the group. And when Roza finally makes an appearance, she lays out her rules for the retreat. Each woman must write three thousand words a day and complete an entire novel by the end of the month. Failure to turn in the requisite pages by midnight each day will result in banishment from the retreat. But the potential reward is worth it, since Roza will pick her favorite book at the end of the four weeks, which will get a publishing deal with a one million dollar advance.

But when Poppy goes missing after one of Roza’s “games,” Alex begins to suspect something isn’t quite right at Blackbriar. 

The story gets off to a great start. Right away, we’re told that Alex is still hurting ever since Wren dumped her, although for a while the reader doesn’t know the reason behind it. When Wren shows up at Roza’s retreat, the emotions are running pretty high, as Alex and Wren have to figure out how to get along. Later, after events at Blackbriar start to spiral out of control, the two have no choice but to set their differences aside in order to survive.

And it doesn’t take long for the reader to realize that something is “off” with Roza, whose shocking mood swings seem merely eccentric at first, but later turn out to be menacing and dangerous. The scenes before the mystery is revealed were my favorite parts of the story, and I thought the author did a great job of creating tension and suspense. Roza pushes the women in some unconventional ways, but she’s making them better writers, isn’t she? There’s also a subplot revolving around the history of Blackbriar which I found fascinating. Alex discovers a book in Roza’s library that tells the true story of Daphne, a spiritualist who lived in the house more than a century before and supposedly contacted a demon named Lamia. Alex finds inspiration in Daphne’s story and decides to write about it, and excerpts from Alex’s book, called The Great Commission, are scattered throughout the story. I liked the way the themes in her story echo the events going on in the present day, and although the “book within a book” device doesn’t always work, I thought it did here.

And I did like the twist—the reveal about Roza and the reason she’s holding the retreat. While the idea was pretty far-fetched, I understand this is fiction and it’s meant to be a bit over the top. But this is also the point where the story started to lose me. What starts as a creepy mystery, complete with an old house, an encroaching snow storm and unreliable characters who are hiding secrets, turns quickly into a bloody mess. Alex starts having sexual dreams about the demon Lamia, which didn’t really fit the vibe of the story. Other elements just seemed silly to me, which I can’t talk about because of spoilers. 

Despite these complaints, though, The Writing Retreat was a fast-paced, fun read. I also liked that the author added layers to her story with some thoughtful messages. Alex and the others are faced with the question “How far would you go for fame?” after they learn the truth about the retreat, and later Alex comes to the realization that in fact Roza has made her a better writer. Not only that, but she’s learned that she can still be a writer without a big publishing contract, and no one can take that away from her.

I really enjoyed the last chapter, which takes place six months after the climactic events at Blackbriar. There’s a hint of a mystery still unsolved, but most everything is wrapped up nicely. If you’re looking for a thriller with a literary element to it, and you don’t mind a story that’s overly dramatic at times, you should definitely give this book a chance.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

A true page-turner. As a mystery-thriller aficionado, the premise jumped out to me. The emotions of our protagonist, Alex, were palpable from the start, and I didn't want to put it down, no matter how much I needed to sleep. Compelling, bizarre, chaotic—everyone should visit The Writing Retreat.

There's already a lot of books about writers going on retreats in rural areas where things go wrong, but this one brings some new things to the trope.

1) the cast of characters: all women and two are sworn frenemies.

2) the twists keep coming and getting twistier.

3) the action revs up and gets real Charlie's Angels style.

Otherwise it's the same plot of mysterious introverted genius author hosts a writing retreat with big prize at her equally mysterious and beautiful mansion in the woods. There's lots of wine and sexy jabs and talk of plots and dramaaaa. All the things a thriller lover wants in a book are here and it's truly bonkers in the way it all plays out. Nothing realistic here just pure twisted fiction with homage to Clue, Agatha Christie and Stephen King.

Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me. It involved a lot of triggering abusive behaviors and it felt like the author was going more for shock value than actual story line and character development. I could not finish the book.

Thanks to #netgalley & #atriabooks for the advance copy of this book - the opinions are my own.

3.5 stars - I feel like this is a case of a bit of a misleading jacket blurb. The blurb for The Writing Retreat says: "Determined to win this seemingly impossible contest, Alex buckles down and tries to ignore the strange happenings at the estate, including Roza’s erratic behavior, Wren’s cruel mind games, and the alleged haunting of the mansion itself. But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. With the clock running out, she’s desperate to discover the truth and save herself." While that is all kinda true, what it doesn't mention is that it's a fairly spicy sapphic thriller and has definite horror vibes. I was surprised by that. You'd think that publishers would want to be more clear in the themes of the book so it reaches the right audience.

While the writing in this debut was okay and some of the characters were appropriately questionable/unreliable, and the horror element wasn't extreme, it somehow was not at all what I was expecting. Sometimes that can be a good thing, but this time I felt a little tricked. I'd probably classify it as a psychological thriller due to all the mind games every single character was playing, but with the caveat that there is some fairly explicit f/f sex scenes.

Alex, the narrator, was the only character that showed any growth or change at all and it wasn't particularly noteworthy. Keira and Poppy, and even Wren to a certain extent, are pretty one dimensional. All in all I feel like it was a fairly average story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Alex is stuck in a dead-end publishing job, writing dreams on ice after a brutal friend-breakup leaves her with a violent case of writer's block. As if by a miracle, a friend with connections calls to tell her she pulled some strings to get her into a writing retreat held by the ultra-famous author Roza Vallo. A last-second dropout for the retreat left a vacancy, and Alex's story was accepted. The only catch - Wren (the friend from the aforementioned "breakup") will also be there. Unable to let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass, Alex sets off to spend the next month at Roza Vallo's famed Blackbriar Estate for the month-long writing retreat. What starts as a huge opportunity for a group of women quickly turns dire. Roza Vallo pushes the women on the retreat to their limits, enforcing a strict writing schedule (and harshly critiquing the work they produce), and playing sadistic mind games. First thrilled with the challenge, the women on the retreat quickly discover there might be something darker at play at Blackbriar. Soon, they will be writing for their lives.

The writing retreat is written from Alex's perspective. Through her eyes we get to meet the other women at the retreat. Though there are a fair amount of characters in this book, they each have a distinct voice that kept them unique and interesting. It's also interesting to see Alex's character arc from superfan of Roza Vallo to where she lands at the end of the book, and to see her relationship with Wren play out while they're pitted against each other. I also found the evolution of the relationships between the other women at the retreat very compelling, especially as the retreat begins to make them crack under pressure.

The excerpts from the novel Alex is writing throughout the duration of the retreat as interludes between chapters add a level of immersion to the novel, especially the setting of Blackbriar.

I have the feeling the last 1/3 of this book will be divisive, but I found it enjoyable. The book quickly takes a turn into psychological thriller territory, with some paranormal elements at play as well. I absolutely could not have predicted the direction or outcome of this one.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It is definitely out there, but not in a bad way. If you like books about reading and writing (major themes on the creative process and what truly inspires great writing) or are just in the mood for a psychological thriller this one is worth picking up.

TWs for: murder, violence, imprisonment, drugs

Crossposted to goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5242241228

Not my usual genre of book, but I had a good enough time reading it. It didn’t really hook me — I read it over a long time with a lot of starts and stops, and I didn’t really feel that invested in the story. I haven’t read a lot of thrillers and I think my lack of interest in “solving the case” before it’s revealed plays a part in my lack of enjoyment. It left me wanting a bit more, but overall I still think it’s a good read.

I thought it was ok! It felt a bit all over the place. I wasn't super interested in the plot as the story progressed. A bit bizarre for my taste. I felt that some things were included just for the shock value and felt a bit over the top/made me roll my eyes.

The writing retreat,

Dark, twisted, and depressing. I’m not sure what I anticipated starting this book, but it certainly wasn’t how bleak the book made me feel. I think all the destructive force is a play as well as the sad reflection of “friendship, or lack there of made for a tale that felt very heavy.

I appreciated the mystery of what was going on, and the slow burn of unraveling it. However, the characters and what they were willing to do just was a bit too much for me. Sadly the Writing Retreat and I were just not a matching pair.

Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books for my DRC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in an exchange for an honest review! I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers, so I would recommend this novel to anyone who is new to this genre. However, this read wasn’t necessarily for me. I’m used to the typical setting of a bunch of people who may or may not know each other, isolated from the rest of the world and stuck together, with a crime to solve. I don’t mind the cliche idea because it can work well if the motives and character/plot development is executed successfully, which this felt it did not. I’m used to mysteries taking a while to pick up, but I did feel that it dragged until the last 30% of the book, and then went completely off the rails. The novel contained important themes throughout regardless of the strange nature of some of the scenes, and I do give massive credit to Bartz for this work being her first. She clearly has potential, and I’m excited to see her future works, I could picture her writing a Gothic themed novel.

Thank you to #netgalley and #atriabooks for my copy of The Writing Retreat! I found this book to neither be a new fave, or a complete miss. I rated it 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars. The Writing Retreat focuses on 5 aspiring writers as they embark on a retreat for the famed author Roza Vallo. However, Roza has something more planned up her sleeve. There was a teensy bit of a paranormal influence in the book. There was decent character & plot development, however I didn’t find really any of the characters too likable. It was filled with a twist I didn’t see coming, followed by little clues and twists that supported the plot’s climax. I felt it dragged on a little bit the last few chapters and it got to the point I was wanting to skim through the remainder of the book. The one thing I enjoyed was that a major theme of the plot was surrounded around a best friend breakup! Those are so underrated. I loved that this story discussed it. I’d definitely be interested to see what the author has to write next, but this was just an average thriller for me.

Reading Between the Wines book review #28/115 for 2023:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Writing Retreat
Author: Julia Bartz
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | Women's Fiction
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: What did I just read?!! I definitely loved the concept of the secluded one setting whodunit but the other elements of the book were weird and confusing. Some of the reveals were juicy and exciting and other parts were very weird and I was not a fan of it. A win was the character complexity and the back story. Another thing I did not care for was that it was pretty similar to another book I have read where authors are invited to a secluded house to write. I don’t want to give any more information so that it won’t lead to spoilers. I do think I will try another Bartz to see how other her other books play out.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @AtriaBooks for an advanced copy of @TheWritingRetreat.

#TheWritingRetreat #JuliaBartz #AtriaBooks #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult #WomensFiction

There were several aspects of the story that I really enjoyed. I loved the relationships between the characters, the way they were pushed to the brink creatively, the commentary on female relationships that was sort of sprinkled throughout the entire book. The complexity of characters like Yana and Poppy.

I didn’t love how predictable the villain arc was, how chaotic the last 1/3 of the book felt, nor how neatly it wrapped up. Without giving spoilers, I just felt bothered by how casually the ending was explained.

It also reminded me a bit to much of the villa by Rachel Hawkins down to the complex friendship between a sort of mousy character who has all the talent and a glamorous influencer friend who holds the power. Overall, this one fell flat for me.. but it could be thriller fatigue - I’ve read so many that I’m really hard to impress.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julia Bartz, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I’m giving it 2.5 stars, but rounding up to 3 on goodreads.

This plot was interesting and unique. There was more than what meets the eye. In a way I did find it easy to distinguish the plot. Nevertheless, it was entertaining and kept wanting to read it. This is a three and a half stars review.

This story was something else…I don't even know how to describe it lol It was a mix of horror, mystery, and erotica. The "romance" scenes were kinda uncomfortable due to some horror elements thrown in. Had I known that some paranormal aspects were a part of this story, I probably wouldn't have read it but the mystery part kept me intrigued! It was a solid book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I didn’t love this thriller — I have a hard time with toxic female friendship plots and it was really dark with sexual tones.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz is an intriguing and intense novel that explores what happens behind the closed doors of our minds. The book features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique voice and personality, and it's easy to root for them as they face the challenges of writing and personal growth.

One of the strengths of the book is its vivid and evocative descriptions of the setting. However, there were a few aspects of the book that I found slightly problematic. One of them was the pacing, which at times felt slow and meandering, and other times felt incredibly crush. While the descriptions of the setting and the characters' inner thoughts and emotions were well rendered, there were moments when the plot seemed to stall and lose momentum.

Additionally, some of the conflicts and tensions between the characters felt a bit contrived and predictable. There were a few instances where the drama and conflict felt forced, and I found myself wishing for a more nuanced and organic portrayal of the characters' relationships and struggles.

Despite these minor criticisms, I would still highly recommend The Writing Retreat to anyone looking for a cozy and uplifting read. Julia Bartz is a talented writer with a gift for creating compelling and relatable characters, and her love for the craft of writing shines through on every page. If you're a fan of books about writing, personal growth, and friendship, then this book is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for an early copy of The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz which is in bookstores today.

This one was hit or miss for me. I’ll start with what I liked. I loved the setting of a mysterious isolated mansion in a snow storm, and I also loved the last third of the book as that was where the bulk of the action and plot was. The miss was the characters were not well developed, the author added sexual elements that felt really out of place and did little to advance any of the story and there were a few discussions of race and gender identity that felt shoehorned in as well.

Overall it was a decent read, once you got about half way, there was more to keep my interest in terms of mystery. It was not my favourite and not sure I would recommend it.