Wellness centers are supposed to be healing, it is right there in the name. That's not necessarily the case with the Center for Recreational Healing, led by a cultish like couple, Moon and Sol, as they are known. On the surface, the two seem to have good intentions, but with time, it is clear they have their own agenda, and morals, doing whatever ti takes to achieve those goals.

This story begins in NYC, where a social worker, Thea, first meets a Jane Doe. And while this woman isn't talking, Thea is drawn to her, not just because they look alike. I won't get into any details, but this woman eventually leads Thea to the Center when she is mysteriously picked up by people pretending to be her parents.

There are a lot of subplots in this story, maybe too many. The most intriguing one being Thea's childhood trauma, something Moon draws out during her time at the center.

If you think of Wellness Centers as spiritual mumbo jumbo, like I do at times, this book won't change that impression. Moon and Sol are clearly taking advantage of their guests' vulnerability, and with Thea and Catherine (Jane Doe), they take things to the extreme. Things that could put them in jail.

The ending is a bit over the top, but I'm glad some got justice and closure.

Overall, this book is an intriguing one, but didn't have my heart racing like I'd want with a thriller. Probably because I didn't connect with the character. However, if you like cult themed books, this one may be for you.

This thriller is full of twists and surprises, and inside look into recruiting for an intense cult.

As a child, Thea felt a connection to movie star Catherine O’Brien. They looked alike, they shared the same birthday, but there was something more.

Years later a Jane Doe who is admitted to the psychiatric ward Thea is working on seems strangely familiar. They seem to have a connection, despite not knowing each other at all. Jane Doe feels it too.

Their meeting starts a chain of events that bring Thea to a weekend retreat to jumpstart relationships. Something is just drawing her there.

As more and more is revealed, the intentions of the retreat and those in attendance become darker and more twisted.

I am fascinated by cult behavior and how someone can find themselves wrapped up in what appears to be outrageous claims and practices. Watching this happen step by step over just a few days shows just how easily someone can slip into a group mentality.

I really enjoyed this story and was definitely surprised by plot twists along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have complicated thoughts on this one. Overall- great concept and who doesn’t feel intrigued by a cult? However I got a little lost in all the details and would have to stop and re read occasionally, specifically in the parts pertaining to the reincarnation. Other than that it was a good thriller with really unique ideas!

What did I just read?? This thriller is bizarre. It takes readers into a cult mindset with a narrator who is unsure about reality. Is she living in a collective consciousness or is she just being gaslit?

Some topics for discussion are:
Grooming
Cults
Accountability
Sexuality

There is a diverse set of characters. When reading you feel like you’re really the at the therapy center. The narrator is unlikable at times. She borders between victim and a person who makes excuses for her actions.

Overall, the setting of a therapeutic retreat led by unhinged cult leaders was very entertaining. There were many twists and turns—- while suspending one’s beliefs is important to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

4⭐ | The Last Session by Julia Bartz

The Last Session by Julia Bartz is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. The novel focuses on the complexities of friendships, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to when they feel trapped or misunderstood. I loved how the author built a sense of suspense and tension with every passing moment, leaving me second-guessing everything.

The characters were well-developed, each with their own secrets and motivations, making it difficult to know who to trust. The setting and atmosphere added to the eerie feeling that permeated the whole book, and the twists at the end were shocking—though not without a bit of predictability for those familiar with psychological thrillers.

While the pacing was strong for the most part, there were a few moments where the plot felt a little slow, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience. The conclusion was satisfying, tying up loose ends without feeling too forced.

If you're a fan of dark, twisty thrillers that dive deep into human psychology and complicated relationships, The Last Session is definitely worth a read!

This book started out so strong with Thea, a therapist, that recognizes one of the new patient as a former actress to one of her favorite movie. They look alike and have an instant connection. When she is discharged mysteriously, Thea is determined to figure if she okay.

She follows a trail and ends up in Nee Mexico at an alternative retreat. The story is atmospheric and I was intrigued. The host of the retreat, Sol and Moon, are charismatic and it also feels eerily there and very cult like.

Thea ends up exploring her traumas of the past and it is woven into what is happening at the retreat. The second half of the book truly lost me with dreams, Egyptian references and going into different portals. It just got too wacky for me.

Thank you @atriabooks for a copy of this.

I would honestly give this 3.5⭐️. I love a good weird and culty novel and this one definitely delivers. This book is a psychological thriller with a supernatural twist.

While this book was indeed, a wild and unpredictable ride, I found some of the parts to be super farfetched. I know this is fiction, and again with a cult you can never be sure what will happen, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to feel about it, or if it really added to the story

I really enjoyed the first half or so of the book. I did like the way the author tied everything together in the end. Overall, I would recommend this to fans of thrillers who don’t mind reading a story that may make you feel a little uncomfortable at times

Probably 2.5-3 stars.

This book started off really interesting and good and then goes a little off the rails. I don’t mind books moving from reality to “other” but this just didn’t feel executed well and I couldn’t buy into the story being told. Just started to feel weird and like a totally different book.

It’s a story I could see others really enjoying but the turn partway through the book just didn’t feel right and pulled me out too much. There were still good twists as you went but the story just wasn’t my cup of tea after a while. This is a book I think I’ll have to sit on for a while to really develop my final rating/feelings/thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my review.

This was an interesting book and I loved the writing style. It flowed well and was hard to put down. My issue with this is how sexual it is. I just don’t read sexual thrillers like this and it was definitely off putting. I was not a fan.

I found this book just ok. I didn't connect very well to the characters and that may have thrown me off. I did think the writing and plot were decent just not enough to really pull me in. I did love The Writing Retreat by this author and am excited to read more from her in the future!

Thank you Atria Books for providing me this arc via NetGalley in return for an honest review

I enjoy the writing of this author after reading two novels from them. I like that it is a little weird and like a fever dream where you can never know what's true until (hopefully) the end. That being said, there were parts of this story that I was intrigued about and others that just fell flat. Some of the plot points, especially near the last third of the book were not as flushed out and felt random in comparison to what had happened at that point. This could also be a story that my brain didn't completely get the message or symbolism the author was giving, and that detracted from my enjoyment.
I do think there is a book by this author that will be something I enjoy throughout since I like the author's writing, so I will continue to pick up her releases. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the eARC in exchange for a review.

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback,

Unfortunately I did have to DNF this book at 20%. I did like the beginning, it was fast paced and intriguing, but then the book did however take some strange turns that just weren’t for me. The writing was still very good, so this book absolutely will be for others! I enjoyed Julia’s writing style so I would still try her other books in the future, this one just was not for me.

Thanks NetGalley, Atria/Simon and Schuster for advanced copy for honest review.

Are you the savior or will you save her? Therapist Thea has a catatonic patient, Catherine, come into her ward. She notices two things at first glance, how much they look like each other and how she thinks she knows her. It dawns on her that this is Catherine from Stargirl, a big hit movie from back in Thea’s childhood. Catherine’s parents are on their way to pick her up and hints are left behind for Thea to find. Thea finds herself at a New Mexico artist community/resort that specializes in finding the one. She is there trying to find and help Catherine. No spoilers, but nothing goes as planned. Everyone has their secrets to share and nothing and nobody are as they seem. Kinda didn’t want the book to end. 5 stars, highly recommend.

I loved the first half of this book, was totally invested in Thea and her connection with her patient. The rest of the book at The Center was just too strange for me.

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

What did I just read? No, seriously. I turned the last page, stared into space for a minute, and then whispered to myself….What. Just. Happened?
You start out with an eerie psychiatric ward and our main character being a social worker. And then it was a rabbit hole of a culty therapy wellness retreat and a protagonist who was teetering on the end of sanity. This was a page turner, because I needed to know where it was going.

🧠 Expect:
✔️Cult- like therapy gone terribly wrong
✔️Moments where you go “wait, what?!”
✔️Remote Retreat
✔️Trauma, Secrets and Mind Games

Thank you Atria books for the gifted digital ARC!

I unfortunately decided to DNF this one at about 50%. I couldn't connect to the story or the characters, and while I understand we sometimes have to suspend belief for fiction, this one went just a step too far.

I won't hesitate to read this author again in the future!

Three and a half stars. I didn’t luv this author’s first book but the premise was really interesting so I wanted to read this one.

A social worker follows a patient (former child actor she loved) to a retreat in New Mexico, where she then loses her marbles as well. It also had layered emotional trauma, childhood history, etc that tied in well. What was really good about this book is the plot hasn’t been done before that I’ve seen, so I was into it. I’d recommend it!

Thanks NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was truly just not good. So many different storylines and characters and paranormal activities and oragys?! I was just so confused the entire time.

I might be in the minority of people who preferred The Writing Retreat to this book. It’s entirely possible that this because of the topic of writing, and this one gets a bit crazier in the directions it takes as well. There was a point where I felt like I might not finish because I was feeling too deeply invested, but I stuck it out and I did like that things made sense by the end. I feel like this book will be a bit divided in how people feel about it. Some will enjoy the twists and turns and others will just feel like it’s too much and stop.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.