The writing retreat follows five women who have been picked to participate in a writing retreat with Roza Vallo, who is a famous writer. Once there the ladies find out that they will have to start a book from the very beginning and finish the book in a month. The winner will get a publication deal. I really loved this book. It was interesting and the plot was definitely really good. I am excited to read more books by this author.

4.5 stars rounded up. This was a dark but exciting read! I loved the vibe of having all of these women gathered in a secluded mansion with an author they all admired. In general I tend to enjoy books about the process of writing books and this one delivered, but with a chilling twist! Definitely a good twisty read!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #thewritingretreat

This is a pretty creepy thriller with plenty of atmosphere — and horror elements. Set it an isolated old mansion, it revolves around a writers’ retreat hosted for a very small group of up-and-coming female writers by once famous author Roza Vallo. In that group is Alex, who idolizes Rosa but who has had writers block for a year, and her former best friend Wren, who is having much more success than Alex is.

There are plenty of twists and turns, especially as the story gets further along, but I had a really had time relating to any of the characters, especially the young writers invited to the retreat. They seemed pretty flat and one dimensional to me and really sort of a group of immature crybabies. That said, the storyline was an interesting one, and I look forward to Julia Bartz’s next novel.

I definitely didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into when I started this one, and it went in a wildly different direction then I was expecting. Some of the characters were developed better then others, and I definitely felt more invest in some of the characters then others. Roza is an unbelievably scary and foreboding character and I had a bad feeling about her from the beginning. This story ended up being way darker and violent then I was expecting, but somehow, I couldn't stop reading. Fairly well-written and I'll definitely read future books Julia Bartz writes. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I LOVED this story, this was the PERFECT book to start my 2023 reading year with. Give me a closed door mystery but with several unique takes right off the get go (invited to a writing retreat hosted by the MC's fave author, along with her current ex-best friend; a possibly haunted and definitely creepy house setting; paranormal history to the houses original owners), and I am a happy reader.

The plot point of putting writers into one house with a mysterious and compelling author who they all love and admire was perfection from the get go. I loved how the tension built in this story - Alex being stressed about being in close quarters with Wren; Roza's eccentric personality and questionable working terms; the other characters who from the get go, do not seem to be exactly who you think they are. I was GLUED to the page with this one, once I started I could not set this book down without mentally obsessing over what would happen next.

No spoilers - but I adore how this story played out, Entirely unexpected twists, terrifically executed and satisfyingly ended, I could not ask for more from a psychological thriller this year.

A MUST HAVE for your 2023 to read list. Don't sleep on this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read The Writing Retreat in advance. All opinions are my own.

I was super intrigued by the blurb for this book, but it’s a no for me. The writing wasn’t bad, but it was all over the place. Secrets, drugs, sex, demons, murder, Nazis(?)…combinations of all the above. It was a lot.

I loved The Plot, which was mentioned in the blurb for this book, but the only real connection to that book I see here is there is a writing retreat featured in both novels.

I loved this book. I was instantly hooked and didn’t expect anything that was coming! The characters were interesting and the environment was perfect.

If you love a well-written thriller/mystery, then this is for you! I’m glad it’s getting a nice amount of 4 and 5 star ratings, but this was a bit too over-the-top for me.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Writing Retreat seems to promise a cozy locked-room mystery with a dark eerie ambiance, but there’s a strong hint of something far more unique to the wild twist of a trip it ultimately delivers.

The story dropped the reader in running, with the characters and elaborate premise set out promptly. The dynamics between the characters felt real and even though the friendship fallout between Wren and Alex seemed a bit petty, I thought it felt it is what led it to feel believable. Quickly, we find out the retreat is in fact a high-stakes competition. From there, the plot is best described as a twisty rollercoaster that’s equal parts creepy, lustful and quirky. It proceeds at a rapid pace, constant twists, and provided an extremely entertaining read.

Thanks NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC that will be published Feb. 20, 2023!

I read about 35% off this book and found it to be very boring. I did not like the characters at all. The content was dull and weird.

The Writing Retreat may make me think about going on a writing retreat in the future! It made me feel claustrophobic so if that's what Julia Bartz was aiming for; she did an excellent job. The pacing was quick, the storyline flowed and kept me hooked. I think this was a 2-day read and made for a very exhausting Monday because I couldn't go to bed until I finished it.

I have been wanting to find a truly great, I can't put this book down, read and found it in "The Writing Retreat!" I loved this book. It is about an aspiring author named Alex, who has had writers block for an entire year. When she is invited to Rosa Valo's, her favorite author of all time, estate for a writing competition she can't say no- even when she is told her ex-best friend will be in attendance. Once at the estate, Alex discovers she, and the other 4 women in attendance, will have one month to write a novel. The winner will receive 1 million dollars and a publishing deal. Alex realizes the stakes are high, but things take a sinister turn, and she also starts to question if Rosa may not be who she thought she was.

This is a psychological, atmospheric thriller and an outstanding debut! Congrats to the author for hitting it out of the park. Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher, for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Let me just say: I ADORED this book.

Honestly, I was a little unsure going into it... I know Julia is Andrea Bartz's sister. But let me tell you--Julia is one of my new favorite authors! She wrote an absolutely incredible book. Starting with the oh-so-real-feeling characters, the building sense of dread, and leading to a dark, twisty plot that keeps you turning the pages. I adored The Writing Retreat and only regret that I read it so freaking fast.

Also--did not see the end coming. You should totally read this book. It is SO good.

A don’t breathe thrill ride. A contest sponsored by a writer , who lives in a secluded and remote destination. Five writers have been invited. The competition has begun. The writers begin to die. Is finishing the task the only way to survive? Happy reading

What a thriller! So many psychological and interpersonal dynamics going on here: mentor/mentee, a broken former friendship, career ambitions, etc. It's quite the tangle to navigate, and very rich and compelling to experience through the main character Alex. And in some ways this is a creepy old house book as well, as the setting becomes more and more important throughout. I couldn't put this book down, and am not sorry in the least that I lost several hours of sleep to it.

Holy shit. What do I do with myself now that this is over??? I don’t know where to begin - this was a WILD ride that took me so many places I didn’t expect to go. It is giving The Plot. It is giving Verity. It is giving SEXY, DARK, PSYCHO thriller. I am blown away - I read the entire second half in one sitting this morning. This family is so freaking talented!!! I need more from Julia ASAP! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Writing Retreat is a perfect, locked room mystery for the winter months. More than that, the main characters are all writers so the story is dramatic, poetic, and well-written. This book definitely everything you expect it to be, and more.

When our main character has the opportunity to attend a month long writing retreat with her literary idol, and ex-best friend, in a haunted house in upstate New York, I knew that there was going to be a lot to this story. Then we find that the writing retreat is a little less "retreat" than anticipated. After an eventful Valentine's Day evening, everything changes and our characters have to fight for more than just a completed novel by the end of their stay.

I really enjoyed the characters. The amount of backstory and character development we get about eight characters in a book this length was very impressive and satisfying. I also appreciated that our main characters were not only dealing with writing and professional struggles but their own emotional and interpersonal struggles as well.

My main fear when reading this was that Roza's intentions seemed pretty clear to me from the beginning. However, while her main goal might be clear the how and the why I could have never guessed. Bartz was incredibly smart here to almost lure readers into a false sense of security where they thought they understood the twist in the book but that was not every really the twist at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and once we were told that Roza hates nothing more than a happy ending, my eyes were glued to the book because I needed to know how it was going to end.

Be prepared though, this book will upset you- as it is meant to. People you hate will succeed and those that you love and care about do not. Additionally, please check trigger warnings.

This book was a ride! I wasn't sure how I felt at first, a writers' retreat gone wrong. As it kept going, I never knew who the bad guy was and who was just in the wrong place. I had one "bad guy" guess that didn't pan out. The demonic aspect was a very interesting twist. I did think the nuns would play more of a part. Chekov's Gun anyone?

What would happen if you got the opportunity to meet your mentor?

This debut novel from Julia Bartz brings a group of writers together with their favorite author, and it’s one crazy ride!

We follow our main character Alex as she navigates meeting her muse, while also trying to write 3,000 words a day. Let’s throw in her ex BFF, and a dash of self discovery.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what else Bartz comes up with

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I went into this thinking that because they were writers it would be slow and uneventful because theyre only writers what could they possibly get into? I WAS WRONG! There was so much drama and high tension in this book, It was very edgy and modern when it came to the characters that I did have to laugh at the nod each character had the current trends and tropes we have today. It also had me stressed the hell out with these 3,000 & 6,000 word books that had to be written! I was not a fan of how Keira would only be brought in when someone was referring to her race or slavery in the form of a tacky joke or trying to be sympathetic when really it was awkward. There was one part where the character Keira said she was from Senegalese and another character said "Im assuming your family came here not by choice"...😖 That made me physically make a face. As an AA woman there were some things in here that didnt need to be in there because it was like that became the only interesting thing about the character. Everybody else had depth and secrets but not her.Overall I did enjoy this book! It was a classic whodunnit in a beautiful secluded mansion with dark academia settings, starving writers in a secluded woodsy area! It was the perfect amount of creepy!