It just wasn’t for me. Although written well, the cult storyline was just ‘too out-there’ for my taste. I persevered to about 3/4 of the way through but it struggled to hold my attention. The Last Session was a DNF for me.
Thank You to NetGalley and Atria Booksfor the opportunity to read this ARC.

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it.

Julia Bartz’s second novel, while an interesting idea, was not the instant hit I found her first book to be. I love cult stories, so I was very excited to dive into this one. But the obsession with a fictional movie called Stargirl and how much it was related to the plot turned me off. I will say that Jonah’s character surprised me, so that is one positive note. I do look forward to the author’s next book because I really did enjoy The Writing Retreat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reality and perception is the inherent question of this book. First of all, it's dealing with cults, which some people are more susceptible to than others. Even years later, you can ask someone who's been in one whether it was their perception or reality. This book explores those themes and takes it a bit further. By the time you get to the end of the book, you know that this place is a cult. But you also perceive that something unnatural is going on. Would you call it supernatural? Probably not. Is it entirely true? Probably not. But it definitely leaves you with a sense of the uncanny. Is all of this a coincidence, a manifestation of something Thea wants to hear or see? I really don't know.
I would like to think that at least in some instances I would have made better choices than Thea though.

I was really impressed by Julia Bartz's debut novel so I was super excited to get into this! This was a super solid 4 star book for me! I was entertained and interested through the whole story and despite not really liking any of the characters, I was interested in seeing where their lives led them. I kind of did guess the plot twist but it didn't lower my enjoyment at all. It was deeper than I could've thought up and I applaud the author for still surprising me! This book was just a super solid thriller and it didn't have any of the usual thriller tropes that I loathe. I was hoping that this book would be better than the author's debut, but regardless, I'll continue reading books from Bartz!

I wanted to like this one but I just couldn’t get into it unfortunately. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC/ALC. I did really enjoy this author’s last book, “The Writing Retreat”, so I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

I really enjoyed The Last Session, especially the cult aspect, it was unsettling in all the right ways. I found myself going back and forth, trying to decide whether the supernatural elements were actually real or just part of the characters' perception, which kept me hooked. The story kept me guessing, and I was pleasantly surprised by how it all came together in the end.

This is a mystery thriller that is definitely on the odder side, with that being said, it kept me guessing and entertained throughout.
We have a social worker, Thea, who becomes kind of obsessed with a patient brought into the hospital where she works. This takes Thea to a retreat deep in New Mexico where some weird therapy goes down. Thea puts up with the weirdness because shes trying to find this woman, and figure out why they have the connection they have.

There were some questions I felt weren't completely answered, and at times I thought to myself, WTH is going on? But I couldn't put it down. I needed to see where it was going and how it was going to end.

Ok I really think this would be 3 stars but I really did enjoy it so I’m giving 4. I do think it needs a bit of additional info added. There were quite a few questions that lacked answers.
The characters are pretty good but some there are a great backstory but others it was lacking.
The whole plot and past lives etc is a little far fetched especially since I don’t believe in anything like that. There were some things that happened at the retreat that wasn’t explained and kinda just dropped off the storyline.

Overall a good book, it did keep my interested and involved and wanting to keep reading

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

This was quite a story! The author wanted to write about a cult and this was a well done portrayal. Loved the protagonist, despite being a therapist herself, had a whole lot of baggage that fed into this whole tale. Always appreciate a Bart's novel (both sisters!)

This book goes out to all of the people who love the twisty, slightly odd books out there. You’re going to have to suspend your belief in how things should happen, and you’ll probably ask yourself what the heck several times.
Social worker Thea, the FMC is deeply flawed, but she does care. So after a serious of serious patient privacy violations, she takes off to a weird cult-like retreat to find Catherine; who had shown up catatonic at the psychiatric hospital where Thea works. At this point, just follow the rabbit hole:
Consider your triggers as you start this book as well as it involves grooming, bullying and sexual bullying between minors.
3.5 star read for me.
I received an ARC Of this title, all opinions are my own.

This book had such promise and so much intrigue! I own this author’s first book, but I haven’t read it yet. Anyway, I loved the first 40-50% of this book, but it just got too weird for me too quickly. I know when there are cults involved that it’s going to be weird, but most of the last quarter or so of the book just didn’t hit for me. I feel like I would’ve liked the book better if it was shorter and hadn’t spent so much time on what happens after so much was revealed.

This book started out quite interesting with a mystery "Jane Doe" in a psychiatric institution. But so many lines were crossed in her care, and then the story slowly devolved into what I can only describe as weird. It definitely didn't go the direction I Was thinking, and I found myself not particularly liking any of the characters. For a short-ish book, the story really dragged for me. But, I can definitely say that I have never read anything like it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

This is my second book to read by Julia Bartz and I was disappointed. The book kept my attention at the beginning. There were some things that happened with the story line within the next couple chapters that I didn’t like but I really wanted to know what was going to happen with the characters so I kept reading. I just DNF at 70%. I just couldn't keep reading. I hate when I can’t finish a book so much and I don’t do it often. The story line just felt all over the place and I started feeling claustrophobic reading it. I know others with like this one but it was not a favorite for me.

What a wild ride! Super fun, twisty, thriller with luscious desert vibes. The story within a story was compelling. The line level prose was exquisite. And the steamy scenes are 😳

I really enjoyed reading this one and can’t wait to see what @juliabartz writes next

The Last Session is a MUST read for all thriller book lovers…

Julia Bartz, acclaimed author of The Writing Retreat, has once again proven her mastery of the psychological thriller genre with her latest novel, The Last Session. This book is a dark and twisty exploration of trauma, memory, and the seductive allure of cult-like environments.

The story follows Thea, a social worker grappling with her own troubled past, who becomes obsessed with a mysterious catatonic patient at the psychiatric unit where she works. As Thea delves deeper into the patient's history, she uncovers a connection to a controversial wellness center in the New Mexico desert. Driven by a need to uncover the truth, Thea infiltrates the center, where she encounters charismatic leaders, unsettling rituals, and a web of dark secrets.

Bartz's writing is both evocative and unsettling, drawing the reader into Thea's increasingly disorienting and dangerous journey. The stark desert setting serves as a perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama, heightening the sense of isolation and vulnerability. The author expertly weaves together elements of psychological suspense, mystery, and horror, creating a narrative that is both gripping and thought-provoking.

The Last Session is a chilling exploration of the human psyche, delving into the complexities of trauma, the malleability of memory, and the lengths to which people will go to find healing or meaning.

Full of twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing until the very end.

The Last Session is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. It is a dark, twisty, and ultimately satisfying novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Check out this teaser :

When a catatonic woman shows up at the psychiatric unit, social worker Thea swears she knows her from somewhere. She’s shocked to discover the patient holds a link to a traumatic time in her past. Upon regaining lucidity, the patient claims she can’t remember the horrific recent events that caused her brain to shut down. Thea’s at a loss—especially when the patient is ripped away from her as suddenly as she appeared.

Determined to find her, Thea follows a trail of clues to a remote center in Southwestern New Mexico, where a charismatic couple holds a controversial monthly retreat to uncover attendees’ romantic and sexual issues. Forced to participate in increasingly intimate exercises, Thea finds herself inching closer not only to her missing patient, but also to tantalizing answers about her harrowing past. However, time is running out, and if she stays for the last session, she too might lose her mind…or worse.

I really enjoyed this author's first book, so I was very much looking forward to this one. While I did enjoy her writing, the story didn't work for me. I have discovered that I don't enjoy books that include sexual trauma involving children. The second half of the book also went all over the place and I didn't feel like it had a specific direction. Unfortunately this was a miss for me.

This was the second book I’ve read from this author. I did not enjoy this near as much as I did The Writing Retreat.

This is a locked room thriller…. I guess. A genre I’m not particularly fond of, but I persevered. I’m not sure how to describe this one other than it was a bit all over the place. There’s a therapist that gets overly involved with the patient because of a previous connection. There’s some cult involvement but rather than bringing resolution it was just odd. The whole thing was rather confounding. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

Interesting premise but the last 20% lost me. It was from straight up thriller and mystery to all over the place. Unfortunate.