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!

This is probably a 3.5-3.75 for me. The book follows narrator, Alex, as she lands a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend a writing retreat hosted by an incredibly successful author. The catch is that all of the women attending must finish an entire novel in the few weeks that they are there. There’s tension from the jump, as she’s attending this retreat alongside her ex best friend. The author hosting the retreat is famous for her feminist horror novels and her home mirrors that. The setting is dark and secluded and lends to a very eerie vibe throughout the entirety of the book. The characters were quite irritating at certain points which brings down my rating. I also expected a little more of a hard hitting ending. Overall, it was a really entertaining and fast paced read!

What would you be willing to sacrifice for a once in a lifetime opportunity?

Roza Vallo is a renowned feminist horror writer. She's successful, she's inspiring and she's allusive. Ms. Vallo lives in veritable seclusion in a remote (possibly haunted) estate, which makes the fact that she's decided to host an exclusive writer's retreat at her home all the more appealing. She has carefully hand-selected five young women to compete for a chance at a seven-figure publishing deal.
When Alex receives the invitation, of course she goes! This is the opportunity she's been longing for- A chance to meet her idol and become a published author. Things quickly become awkward, however, when she finds out her ex best friend is also a guest at the retreat. There's still a lot of tension and unresolved issues between them, but Alex is determined to not let that hinder her experience. But then things start getting weird. The longer the writers are there, the more bizarre and extreme Roza Vallo becomes. When one of the guests goes missing during a snowstorm, the remaining four begin to wonder if things have finally gone too far... And if there's any chance of escape.

I definitely have some mixing feelings about this book.
The book encompassed a Gothic mood during the first half that I really enjoyed. There was a feeling of unease and darkness surrounding the estate and the characters. The estate had a dark history involving seances, demons and the death of the previous owners under mysterious circumstances. Additionally, you have the character of Alex struggling with her own sexual identity (and some of the scenes do verge into the erotic).
I wish all of those aspects had been leaned into more. IMO, this book would have worked better as contemporary woman's fiction/paranormal romance where Alex's sexuality could've had room to be explored in greater detail and the dark essence of the house and its history could have been made front and center. Alas, this is not the direction the book took.

As soon as the mystery portion of the book started (around the 50% mark), the book just went downhill and stayed there. What was a unique reading experience, became rather generic and predictable. Honestly, it became so OTT and ridiculous that I skimmed until I came to the end. I'm disappointed it went in this direction and feel like the ending is completely disjointed from the beginning.

My recommendation? Read 'Who is Maud Dixon' instead. This book takes strong inspiration for its predecessor, but Alexandra Andrews' story is better written, has a better plot, has a better twist. Just better all the way around.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up

Alex has had writer’s block for a whole year – since her falling out with her ex-best friend. But when Alex has a chance to attend her favorite author’s, Roza Vallo, month-long writing retreat, she can’t say no – even when she finds out that her ex-best friend, Wren, will be in attendance.

As the retreat ramps up, so do Roza’s retreat rules and stipulations. Alex, Wren and the other attendees find themselves in strange, and slightly illegal situations in the retreat, they notice just how alone they really are in Roza’s estate.

I had high hopes for this novel and loved the premise of it and gave me major Simone St. James meets Riley Sager vibes – isolated, all-female writing retreat in a supposed haunted estate, but overall, this fell very flat for me. Daphne’s story felt disconnected from Alex’s, and the romance aspect seemed too far fetched for me. The bones of a great book were there, but there was too much fluff to make a lot of sense of it all.

Others have loved this book, so don’t just take my review of it – as I could (and am) very much the outlier.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the book! #TheWritingRetreat #NetGalley

Something about this book didn't work that well for me. It took me about 65% to get into it and even then the motivation didn't match the crimes. I didn't particularly like any of the characters except maybe Poppy and Keira. I do like the concept of the writer's retreat. Overall, I thought this book was just okay.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review :)

WTF did I just read??? lol I was so sucked into this story, I could barely put it down. A girl obsessed with books (me), reading about women obsessed with an author, and an author obsessed with finding the next big novel.. this was like falling into a writing-ception!

The book follows main character Alex who is an inspiring novelist. Invited to a month long workshop/retreat at her favorite authors house, along with a group of other young female writers. Roza Vallo has always been known as an edgy writer who produces controversial stories. And now it's a chance for these women to learn from their literary hero. Set at a remote estate in New York in the middle of the winter, you can only take a stab at where the month will take these women :) :)

This was twisty, dark, and absolutely fun to read! I felt like every chapter kept me glued to the pages to see what happened next. And I loved watching the protagonist discover so many things about herself just over the course of this story. 4/5 stars, and I can't wait to see what Julia Bartz writes next!

Another debut novel that took me by surprise! A nail biting thriller that'll leave you thinking past that final page, The Writing Retreat is definitely a crazy & creepy psychological thriller that's action packed until the end. Based around Alex, a girl who has dreams of becoming a published author, Bartz's story trails behind her 'one in a lifetime' opportunity to attend a writing retreat with a famous author, but said exclusive invite doesn't turn out the way she'd hoped. Everyone who was invited is told to complete a novel in the month they'll be spending at the retreat, and the author of the best novel will receive a publishing deal! sounds great, in theory.

With twists, hauntings, and dark discoveries, The Writing Retreat will surely leave fans of thrillers keeping Julia Bartz on their radar for some time!

If you were a writer and your favorite author announced that they were hosting a month-long retreat at their house for unpublished writers, would you apply? I'm a writer, and before reading The Writing Retreat, my answer would have been yes. Now, I'm not so sure...

Our narrator in The Writing Retreat, Alex, is languishing--at her job, in her dating life, in her friendships, and in her writing. The previous year she had a falling out with her best friend, Wren, and things have been miserable ever since. Then, through a series of events she would've never expected, she is accepted into a small group of writers who've been selected to attend a retreat hosted by the reclusive and famous feminist horror writer, Roza Vallo. The retreat will take place in February at her isolated 19th century mansion in upstate New York. But there are some rules: each writer has to start and complete a completely new manuscript, and they have to write 3,000 words a day, no exceptions. But what starts as a fast-paced but rewarding retreat devolves into a cutthroat and haunting exploration of ambition, envy, inspiration, female friendships, morality, and competition between peers. You will not believe where this book ends up!

I would recommend this book to readers of Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews, The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch. It's a breakneck thriller set in the cutthroat world of writing and publishing, and I can't wait to see what Julia Bartz writes next!