This book was much darker than I was expecting! I was thinking "oh a writing retreat, how fun will that be?". Reader, it was a fun read but for the participants, not so much! And I loved it! I did not see those twists coming and I love it when that happens! I am definitely adding this author to my TBR!

#TheWritingRetreat
#NetGalley

this book was sick and twisted. It started off spooky and scary; this big 'haunted' house with this elusive author, plus a group of women who have never met before (aside from two). From the moment the retreat was revealed, you were aware something terrible was going to go down.

At first the writing was a bit confusing; Alex didn't come off as a strong protagonist at first and I wasn't sure if she was reliable or not. However, that changed as the story went on and once everyone was at Briarwood, Roza's estate, you were hooked.

I mentioned above that the book was inspiring and that's because of the writing portion. I love books about writers so the idea of a writing retreat (without everything that happened in the book) sounds delightful and I might try to take myself on one at some point.

As the book goes on and stories start to unravel, I became very weary of everyone at the retreat, from Roza to the other writers, to Roza's employees. Something was up, something wasn't right but until you get to the first climax of the novel you're unaware of how screwed up everything is.

One of the women goes missing and that's when the book really picks up; that's when secrets start spilling out of the woodwork yet, you can't be too sure who to trust or what is really happening.

I can't say much more without giving away the entire plot but you will never see the rest of this book coming. This will be a completely type of thriller than you're used to. The Writing Retreat one of my new favorites!

At the start of this book, main character Alex works in publishing and is an aspiring author herself, but has been suffering from writer’s block ever since a fallout with her former best friend Wren a year before. Then she gets the chance to attend an exclusive writing retreat run by her favorite horror author Roza - too bad Wren is attending as well. As soon as they arrive at Roza’s extremely secluded estate and you hear there’s spotty cell service, no WiFi, and a snow storm on its way, you know things are going to go down.

The first half of so of the book is pretty slow with a gradually building sense of suspense and lots of atmosphere - while this might bother some people, if you know me, I love a good slow burn. Sadly though, once the action gets going, things rapidly go way off the rails with just beyond ludicrous, preposterous, over the top crazy things happening and the book just went way, way downhill for me.

This has been compared to The Plot, but other than being about writing and a book within a book (and Alex’s book as excerpted is not good), it really is quite different in tone and writing.

This one was a big miss for me, but judging from reviews so far, it’s one of those love it or hate it books as others are raving it. I’m looking forward to discussing with my book group where so far it seems like most people were not fans.

2.5 stars

I didn't like this one. Slow and not what I thought it would be. Cover is eye-catching but the story is slow paced and meh.

This has many 5 star reviews but it wasn’t for me!

I love books about books, and I love books about the writing process-even more. That is what I was expecting, but that isn’t what I got!

Alex has always wanted to be a published author, so when she receives a once in a time opportunity to attend a month long writer’s retreat at the home of her Idol, best selling feminist horror writer, Roza Vallo, she can’t turn it down. Even, the fact that Wren, her former best friend, and current rival, will be there, won’t stop her from accepting.

As the attendees arrive, they are told that they will be required to write an entire novel from scratch during the month, with the winner receiving a life changing seven figure, publishing deal.

Let the games begin!

Would Roza eliminate the writers, one by one, as they go, until just one is left standing? Or will they not know the winner until the final pages are written?

Roza’s methods of motivating the writers to reach their 3,000 word count per day, include hurtful barbs, and LSD. And, Alex finds herself wondering if the (open door) self pleasuring, and the sexual explorations she experiences with the other women are hallucinations or awakenings?

This was NOT the cut throat writing competition I was expecting to read about.

This book started strong, with the focus on WRITING but as Roza’s ways of “encouraging” the women to create became increasingly OTT, I became increasingly less and less interested in this story.

In fact, it’s one of my LEAST favorite books this year. Sorry.

This debut novel from Julia Bartz, sister of best-selling author Andrea Bartz.

A buddy read with DeAnn. Is she on Outlier Island with me, or did she write one of the 5 star reviews? Be sure to check out her thoughts on this one, as well.

AVAILABLE NOW!

This was a very dramatic and stressful book. It kept me guessing to the end. I didn’t care for book excerpts but the main story was great! I was shocked at how it turned out but I liked the ending!

I love isolated thriller and books about books so I was very excited for this one.

Alex is a 30 year old unpublished writer who has had a huge falling out with her best friend. She gets invited to a month long writing retreat for a few chosen women at her favorite author’s estate. Of course her ex best friend is invited too, and things go down hill from there.

The premise for this one sounded so good. Too bad the author decided to throw in every social issue she could think of. The characters acted like spoiled teenagers so much that at times it read like a YA novel. Not only are they unlikable, but they only achieve true creativity through illicit sex and illegal drug use. These things became more of a focus in the book than the original premise and that ruined it for me.

Twisty, graphic, layered is how I would describe this thriller. I never guessed a single reveal, but I hated the ending. You win some and you lose some, ha!

The Writing Retreat follows struggling writer, Alex, as she’s invited to a very exclusive writing retreat with her favorite author and four other women—including her ex-best friend, Wren. Things take a dark turn a couple of weeks into the month long retreat and you’ll never guess how.

The Writing Retreat gets 4/5 for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really wanted to love this one. I see it all over my Instagram feed on my book account. I started reading but I kept getting distracted. It probably gets better but it didn’t capture my attention enough. I’m a strong mood reader so I may come back to it when the time is right. Thank you so much for the ARC!

DNF'd at 40%. I really wanted to love this one and at first I thought this was going to be a quick and fun read. But frankly, by the 40% mark I was bored and it felt like a chore to keep going. the concept was so intriguing but Alex is too unlikable to force myself to read anymore.

This was such an unexpected read! The premise was really interesting - you have 5 writers competing to have their stories published by a well-renowned horror author at the end of a writing retreat, but the women come to find out that things are not as they seem. I love stories about writers and this even had some excerpts from our main protagonist, Alex's, novel, which I really enjoyed. I think it was the deeper elements to this book that threw me off a bit.

Without getting spoiler-y, this book included some sex scenes that were super unexpected, and were actually a pretty substantial part of the plot. It came a bit out of left field for me, but once I realized "oh okay this is what we're doing", it became an element that intrigued me more. I could see some people possibly seeing it as purely there for shock value, but I didn't mind it. Overall I enjoyed this strange yet interesting debut novel, and I would definitely read more from Julia Bartz in the future.

**3.5-stars**

Picture it: you're an aspiring writer, you're maybe down on your luck, you're stuck in a dead end job and then you get offered the opportunity of a lifetime. Your favorite author, we're talking a person whose words you have read since childhood, who has had a lasting impact on your life...

...oh, sorry. I got too much into my own head there for a moment. Anyway, this author, a ground-breaking author of feminist horror, is hosting a writing retreat for five up-and-coming female authors. Thousands have applied. Few are chosen. You are chosen. Sure, it's due to a technicality, but you'll take it!

This is amazing. You get to travel to her mansion in a remote location and do nothing but write for an entire month. It's the chance to finish a novel and be published. Rein in your expectations though, this is a competition and every other writer there wants it as much as you do. It's going to be a cut-throat endeavor.

Do you have what it takes to survive The Writing Retreat?

Y'all, The Writing Retreat was a journey for me and not necessarily a great one. Starting out I was intrigued by the set-up. I liked how quickly Bartz got us to the retreat, which is the focus of the story after all.

I liked meeting all of the women involved, including the infamous author, Roza Vallo. The setting is lovely. I definitely could picture it and felt the isolation and claustrophobic, creepy feel in my gut.

It's fairly clear from the start that not all is going to go as expected for these women. This isn't a casual, write when we feel like it, sort of place. Roza is intense as heck and has certain expectations of the women she has extended this opportunity to.

I liked how the author built the tension. I was suspicious of everyone. There were so many different occurrences that quite literally got under my skin, however, over time I began to fall out of love with all that was happening here.

I expected the interpersonal drama, which will always happen with a group of unrelated women living together under one roof, and frankly, I was living for that. The topics explored definitely went in directions I wasn't expecting. This got darker than I anticipated, but I do love dark fiction.

I guess where I started to disconnect from the novel was jarring plot twist after plot twist after plot twist. Each one crazier and more OTT than the last. Unfortunately, each consecutive twist brought it farther and farther away from the realm of likability for me.

Let it be known, and if you've followed my reviews for any amount of time you know, I am generally a fan of OTT. This toed the line of, dare I say, ridiculous though for me. I applaud the author for taking risks, that takes a lot of daring. I enjoyed the writing style very much, as well as the initial set-up, atmosphere and character work, but the plot just wasn't for me

With this being said, my personal opinion should not keep you from picking this up. There are a ton of rave reviews and you could be one of them. If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a go. Further, I really did enjoy the writing style and construction of this story. I will definitely be picking up Bartz's next novel. I am sure it will be equally as surprising and creative.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I definitely recommend this one to fans of claustrophobic feeling, OTT-Thrillers!

3.5 What One Does For Success Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
Well, as most would know, those who read a lot...love books about authors and all they go through to produce their books. With The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz, she has taken that insight and ran a marathon with it.

She brought together authors/writers who needed/desired to be in a workshop with an esteemed author with a list of best sellers miles long. She also specializes in a dark, more horror vein. To be invited to be at this retreat is huge.

The authors come together, hear what the terms are, and then the switch/surprise is sprung; they must write a completely new book and only one of them will get published with a huge million-dollar contract.

This is like the hunger games/last man standing with all the ugly coming out wanting to be the One.

Well damn, that was great! This was one of the most messed up books I’ve ever read and I mean that in the most flattering way! Unique and original! I legit couldn’t put it down. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

This book is Dark, Demented and Deadly. And oh yeah coming from a debut author, it was every thing a dark thriller reader loves.
Don’t let the mixed reviews scare you away from this book, especially if you enjoy dark atmospheric locked room thriller/ mysteries, which includes sapphic relationships.

Thank you for the ARC Netgalley! This locked room thriller was a Book of the Month pick last month so you’re probably seeing it everywhere. This book was WILD, I could not put it down. I can’t believe this was a debut!

Alex has given up on her dreams of becoming a published writer. At the last minute, she is invited to take part in a secluded month long female writing retreat hosted by her favorite author Roza. Alex knows she can’t pass this chance up, even though her ex-best friend Wren will also be attending. Upon arrival, the guests are told that Roza has a strict schedule of writing in place for them and that they all are expected to write an entire book during their stay- and that Roza will publish the best one. Alex has to navigate Wren’s cruelty, Roza’s expectations, and the creepy haunted mansion they are all residing in. She starts to realize things aren’t what the seem when another guest vanishes.

I love a locked room thriller! Everyone is trapped together and the tension is so high. The setting of this one was incredible and I loved the dynamics between all of the female characters at play. The only reason this isn’t 5⭐️s is because I didn’t really need or love the excerpts of Alex’s novel included, it slowed the pace down for me. And like most thrillers, things became a bit unhinged at the end but I was here for it. Highly recommend this for locked room thriller lovers.

✨Trigger Warnings: Murder, Death, Explicit Sexual Content, Suicide, Homophobia

This book was definitely engaging, and I finished it within a couple of days. The ending part got a little crazy, though I liked how unpredictable it was. Roza was a bit contradictory, but I guess that was part of her personality?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.

This was an intriguing read for sure. I felt it moved a bit slow at first, but then once the suspense picked up, it moved much more quickly. There were definitely some points that I had trouble putting the book down. Though some of this was a bit far-fetched for me, it was still written well and I enjoyed the characters. I also was not able to predict most of what was going to happen, which is a positive with any suspense/thriller. A little more paranormal than I typically read, but I would still recommend to friends.

Uh WOW! I didn't have any expectations going into this novel but I was totally unprepared for where it went. Well written and it had be turning the pages till the very end.

I did not think I was going to enjoy The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz at first. The whole, I’m not over my ex, was going to get old really fast. But once the writing retreat actually started, the book got crazy good… with lots of crazy.

The reader is treated to a gothic house that appears to be haunted, in the middle of nowhere, with the closest residence being a convent. The backstory to the house and its murders include demons and the occult, and the story being written within The Writing Retreat, goes right along with that theme.

The retreat’s host lives the life of a hermit and she has some very strange requests for the retreat that just keep getting weirder. As cliche as it is in a book for the main character not to get over their ex, it’s just as cliched to say a book has a lot of twists and turns, but I’m going to say it; This book is filled with twists and turns, and a lot of thematic elements (female relationships and fame, women in regards to economics, feminism, and more). The reader can either enjoy this thriller at face value or dig a lot deeper if they desire, and I could see this book being a great choice for a book club to dissect.

A great read and I’m excited to see what Julia Bartz comes up with next.