I'll give this one 3.5 stars. I think it started out strong, but over time the plot got a little too wild and the quality of the writing decreased.

The plot starts off really strong, but I'm not sure where it really lost me. I think some more character development for the other writers would have been beneficial. I feel like I didn't know them really well, so I wasn't as invested in their stories or their fate. Roza was an interesting and memorable character, but I can't say the same about the rest of them.

I feel like a common problem with debuts is there is too much hand-holding, and I felt that was the case with this book. The later parts of the book felt like they were written in a hurry and had to explain every little detail of the final reveal to the reader. I think that needed to be more subtle and let the reader figure out more on their own.

I do think the story itself was intriguing! The estate where they stayed was creepy and felt realistic. There was one passage where our main character hears something in the night and goes to investigate, and that whole scene was like WHOA. Super spine-chilling and made me uncomfortable (in a really good way!).

This book really reminded me of The Family Game in some ways, so I think if you liked that book then you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

this was fun and fast-paced but it definitely read like a debut. it was a bit chaotic throughout and then everything seemed to wrap up too cleanly.
it also lacked the subtlety that I hope will come with more experience. paragraphs about the inequality in the publishing industry (while appreciated) were randomly thrown in, making inclusivity feel like an afterthought. bartz also didn't seem to trust the intelligence of her readers, making sure that every little clue was picked up on with glaringly obvious inner narration from the MC. (fake example: "that's weird she says she's never been to the coke museum... didn't she say she's lived in Atlanta her whole life? that's suspicious")
interesting to see the popularity of books about writers transcend genres, moving from romance to now thrillers this year it seems.
thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric and moody, The Writing Retreat follows former best friends Alex and Wren as they participate in a writing retreat hosted by their favorite author, Roza Vallo. They are joined by 3 other young women for a month long retreat where they will each complete a novel. Rosa will pick one to publish. The schedule is arduous, 3000 words per day, printed and slid under Roza’s door by midnight each night. As the girls settle in, things get twisted. Their host likes to play games, including spiking their drinks with LSD! Hold on to your hat, things are about to get crazy!
This dark tale is driven by strong, rather unlikeable female characters. Although you may not like them you will find yourself rooting for them. Perfect for fans of Layne Fargo, this “locked room” thriller will leave you gasping!

This was truly the most boring "thriller" I've ever read. The entire first three chapters did not need to exist and the big snowstorm doesn't even happen until over halfway through the book. Part three was the only slightly redeeming portion of the book, but I couldn't stand any of the characters so I didn't care if they lived or died. There was really no focus on any character other than Alex so I had no empathy for the other girls because I didn't know enough about them and I hated pick-me-girl Alex. Overall, it's a boring book that's ending isn't even worth reading with one twist and a very mediocre second book written within.

Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn’t dampen her excitement.

Once all the writers arrive at this isolated estate things quickly go off the rails and nothing is what it seems. The story quickly becomes a locked room thriller when a huge snow storm blankets everything in 4 feet of snow. They group is trapped with no way of escaping. Things took a huge turn that I did not see coming. I think you just really have to suspend some belief for this part. From there it just got more bizarre for me. There was also a book within a book aspect. I didn't really love that story line either.

Overall, if you just go with the story and don't give it too much thought, you might enjoy this story.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this advanced reader copy.

Alex has the ultimate case of writer's block following a violent confrontation with her best friend. But she can't miss an opportunity to join four other promising young female writers for a month-long writing retreat at the isolated estate of her favorite author, Roza Vallo. However, the stakes of the competition are higher than any of the women ever imagined.

This psychological thriller is lush and intoxicating, reminiscent of Rebecca and other Gothic classics. Julia Bartz's The Writing Retreat is a fantastic debut and I look forward to reading more from her.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for sharing this advance copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

4.25/5

I was excited for this based on the hype, but did not enjoy it at all. I didn't find any of the characters likeable/believable, and it was simply way too over the top and theatrical to build any sense of suspense/dread for me as the reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books, I received an advance reader copy of this book in return for my honest review. The book will be released on February 21st.

3.5 stars. This book is a wild ride! It’s an unsettling psychological thriller/horror novel about a group of young, female writers who are chosen to attend a writing retreat hosted by their favorite author. Once they arrive at the author’s remote, isolated estate, things are not what they expected. To complicate matters, Alex, our protagonist, finds out that her former best friend is also attending. Things intensify from there, and the twists and turns abound. The book reminded me a little bit of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, although, I thought The Plot was a better example of the “book within a book” plot device. Still, this is an admirable debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by Julia Bartz.

Hard to believe this is a debut. I loved every minute of this. This was atmospheric and mysterious, and I didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to read more by this author in the future.

Mix feelings about this book. Just when it would draw you in, it would get silly-stupid
You can care about the characters, but the storyline gets a little ridiculous.
Thanks Netgalley for advance copy

I’m sorry, this is a debut novel? We just might have a new author to watch.

Alex is an aspiring writer who gets the chance to attend a month long writing retreat hosted by her favorite author, Roza Vallo, at her estate in the mountains. There are four other attendees, one of which is a former best friend with whom she has a complicated history. For the next month, these five writers must do all they can to finish their own brand new novel, while enduring Roza’s maybe… unorthodox methods of providing inspiration, and trying to also get along with each other. Unfortunately, there is also something more sinister at play here, and a question - how far would you go to see your dreams fulfilled?

I loved the gothic vibes, the drama, the aesthetic, and just the overall tone… Julia Bartz has serious talent, and she had me hanging on every word. You *do* have to suspend disbelief a little there at the end, and I’ll echo some other reviews that say it may wrap up a little too neatly, but man… I enjoy it.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Atria Books / Emily Bestler Books for providing this ARC. This book releases February 21st, so make sure to get yourself a copy. ✨

Oh wow! I stayed up way too late to finish reading this book, because I just had to know what happened.

When Alex gets the opportunity of a lifetime, one would think she’d jump at it, but instead Alex is weighing her options. Her good friend managed to get her into a highly sought after writer’s retreat being hosted by her favorite mysterious author Roza Vallo. One catch, it will put her in the same home (granted it’s an estate so it’s gotta be big, right?) as her ex bestie Wren.

The characters are royally messed up and if I’m being honest the main character isn’t likable at all, which just made me love the book more. Gah, every single one of the characters has darkness within them and I love the idea of the mansion being home to a great local legend.

This book is just icky enough that I enjoyed it but not so much that I felt bothered by it. This exploring of channeling our pain and what does power mean and how does it show up really kept me interested. I also liked the alternating chapters with excerpts from Alex’s writing during the retreat.

The Writing Retreat
Pub Date 2.21.2023

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5 stars on here)

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Holy moly! I absolutely cannot believe this is a debut novel! This novel will grip you by the neck and won’t let you go the entire time! The storyline sucks you in from the beginning. From the first sentence of “fuck her,” to the very end, it keeps the reader engaged throughout the entire time. You become so invested in these characters and trying to figure out what happened in the past and how to correlated to the current situation. It has everything you might want in a thriller (I.e. remote location, cut off from the outside world, friendship drama, creepy mansion with a history, and a book about writing books). Overall, this is a stellar debut and I cannot wait to see what Bartz comes up for us in the future!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

Angry, dark, sexual locked room thriller with a paranormal twist and a book within a book

Alex, her ex-BFF now enemy, Wren, and three other up and coming authors win a month-long writing retreat mentored by Roza, a forceful award-winning successful author on her secluded estate.

Roza plays the authors off each other for the first two weeks, then a massive snowstorm traps them in the house. Weird stuff was happening but when one of the ladies disappears after an acid trip, it gets exponentially stranger.

I couldn't put this down!

Once you start, you will not want to stop reading this book. The twists and turns keep it very interesting. Run, don’t walk, to get this one!

So this was a pretty creepy story. I really loved the setting of the old mansion in the woods, with a winter storm rolling in. This has everything you want from a haunted house, short of ghosts: there is a dark basement, a dusty attic, secret passages, weird portraits. I really enjoyed getting to explore this place through Alex’s eyes.

The characters are quite good, as well. Alex and Wren’s relationship is prickly and strange and complicated, and I liked how Bartz slowly unraveled and rebuilt their rather troublesome bond. It was a good look at how the ending of a friendship, while often viewed as less important, can be just as devastating as the ending of a romance. And seeing how both women change over the course of the novel was pretty cool, and I liked how things wrapped up at the end of the book.

The other characters were also well-written for the most part. Roza is so sinister and strange, but at times charismatic and warm. Scenes with her were always fun. I also liked the interplay between Alex, Wren and the other contestants. I feel that Roza’s employees didn’t get much development, and they were a little one-note, though.

That said, though, the plot was entertaining. The gradual escalation from innocent writing retreat to a much more dangerous situation was perfectly paced, and you got the sense that while some of Roza’s actions were premeditated, others were a little more reactive as the women caught on to the strangeness. I also enjoyed seeing some of Alex’s internal turmoil through excerpts of the manuscript she wrote throughout the book. Unfortunately, the ending of the drama felt a little abrupt. It didn’t make sense to me that a certain character gives up their goal so easily after coming so far. And the antagonist didn’t get as much comeuppance as I wanted.

Also, and this is less important, but I thought we’d get more resolution regarding the story Alex told about seeing a monster in the woods as a child. I really thought that was going to come back, but it didn’t. So… what was it? Was it really a monster? I know it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but it was a thread I didn’t want left hanging.

In the end, though, The Writing Retreat is a strong debut. The atmosphere and setting are immersive, the characters and their relationships are layered, and the plot moves along at a steady, reasonable rate. It’s very dark and ominous, but compels you to keep reading to see what on earth is planned next. I didn’t adore the ending, but maybe that’s just how I am with thrillers, and I still think this book is worth a read if you like the genre!

While the blurb gave away some of the general plot of the book, I was still astounded by it. Enter Blackbriar: the secluded estate of renowned writer Roza Vallo, home to a mysterious massacre and unexpected secrets. As Alex battles her writer's block and the sudden reunion with her ex-best friend, we explore Blackbriar and the strange competition that's unfolding. I was expecting something similar to And Then There Were None, but was happily surprised. I also really enjoyed how she handled Alex questioning her sexuality and the snippets of The Great Commission strewn between chapters. With sinister visions of demons and constant paranoia throughout, this book is a wild ride that I'd be happy to take again.

*Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

#thewritingretreat is insane !!!! 🤯
The first words in this book are " F*¢k her"
Well idk about you but that immediately catches my attention. This story was wild ...
Gave me some hunger games/ misery vibes but with something else I can't place 🤔
The ONLy thing I didn't like about this book & this is my opinion was the misplaced PC content.
Either way I was INVOLVED with this book. Couldn't put it down & when I did I thought about it . Incredible debut novel !!! 🤘🖤

Thank you #Netgalley & Atari for this ArC

What a debut!! I picked this up with the intention of reading a few pages and soon discovered I wouldn’t be putting it down any time soon.

This feminist gothic tale reminded me a bit of The Plot, The Villa and This Might Hurt. Kinda like if they had a threesome. Ha ha

My only complaint is that the ending was wrapped up a little too nicely and quickly.

Thanks @netgalley for read number 14 of 2023. I read @megans_bookcorner’s review of this book, and I knew that I had to read it. This was one crazy ride! I went into this book blind as well, and I did not expect anything. There are lots of different issues discussed in here and a cast of very unlikeable characters who somehow all worked well within this plot line. As someone who loves reading and books, I loved the focus here on reading, writing, and novels. As @megans_bookcorner notes, the end is somewhat unbelievable, and yet, I still liked it. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for sure. #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram