Having loved the author’s previous work, I was hopeful this book would be equally captivating. Unfortunately, the story felt slow and heavy, making it a struggle to get through. The tone was darker and more oppressive than I expected, which made it hard to stay engaged.

While the premise—a social worker uncovering secrets at a mysterious wellness retreat—was intriguing, the pacing dragged, and the narrative didn’t quite live up to the promise of the author’s earlier books. It took me much longer than anticipated to finish, and the tension didn’t build in a way that felt satisfying.

Fans of the author’s previous work may appreciate the depth and atmosphere, but this one just wasn’t for me.

I didn’t like this as much as her previous book, but I did like it enough to finish it. It felt a little all over the place and it took a long time for things to get interesting. I hold to suspend my disbelief quite a bit, but even so I just didn’t find this to be more than fine.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!

I loved the breakneck, off-the-rails feeling that Bartz accomplished with The Writing Retreat, but The Last Session fell quite flat for me. One of my pet peeves in a mystery or thriller is a main character who makes increasingly and consistently dumb choices. By the time the novel's wackadoodle final moments were happening, I had lost a lot of sympathy for Thea and...honestly wasn't rooting for her 😅

Her connection to the events of the novel also felt rather loose and less developed (a doppelganger celebrity, a cult and a loose prophecy). It was really hard to buy into any of it, even in the suspend-your-disbelief sections of the story.

I was not prepared to be fully submersed in the cult concept when reading this book, so that was unexpected and not at all enjoyable.

Woah! another fascinating read by Julia Bartz! this book had me on the edge of my seat, anticipating what would happen next. I cannot wait for more from this Author!

Although the authors previous novel was one of my favorite reads, this is also in my top 10. Although you will have to open your mind to some of the topics to understand where the author is going, you will enjoy the r

The Last Session had such an intriguing setup—a mysterious group therapy retreat with secrets, tension, and a hint of danger. I was really into the idea and expected something twisty, psychological, and intense. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver the way I’d hoped.

The pacing was slow, and while the book tried to build suspense, it mostly felt like a lot of waiting around. The characters didn’t feel fully developed, and their dialogue and decisions often felt unrealistic or forced. I kept waiting for a big twist or emotional payoff that never really came.

This one was a hard no for me. DNF at 30% due to trigger warnings I wasn’t aware of. I felt this synopsis was promising and then the very dark topics covered just weren’t what I was prepared for.

This one started off slow for me but once it picked up I couldn’t stop until I finished. The idea of cults in thrillers always fascinates me and this book was a really good one.

I enjoyed the mystery and there were some twists I didn’t see coming.

I felt this book was slow. I really enjoyed The Writing Retreat but this one struggled to hold my attention. I’d like to give it a try as an audiobook

I really wanted to love The Last Session. The setup had so much potential: a mysterious wellness retreat, a group of writers with secrets, and a famous therapist with an agenda. But somewhere between the slow pacing, underdeveloped characters, and meandering plot, I found myself putting it down... and never picking it back up.

Thank you to Julia Bartz, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A mental patient, a hippie camp and a cult.... sign me up! I found the main character very engaging with fun banter with peripheral characters. The New Mexico setting was inspiring. I read this in one sitting and very much enjoyed it.

When a woman shows at the psychiatric clinic Thea works at, she is shocked to discover that her patient has ties to Thea's past. Thea begins to investigate her patient's mysterious past and ends up at a wellness retreat in New Mexico. What follows is a locked-room type mystery and Thea begins to unravel her present as well as her past. I feel like I can't say too much about the plot without giving it away, but I liked the overall vibes of the story. Initially the build up of the mystery was really well done and I was engaged enough to keep going. However, at times it felt like there were too many loose threads to tie up by the end and I couldn't figure out how it was going to be done. There is quite a bit of suspension of belief that is required while reading this book, but the cult like dynamics were done well. Although this book is a little far fetched, it was generally entertaining and I will read more from Bartz in the future!

I loved This authors previous book so I was so excited for this one. Unfortunately I found this to be so slow and very redundant as the story continued on. Although I did finish this, it was not my favorite and Im hoping her next book is better!

This thriller delivers a white-knuckle ride packed with suspense, sharp turns, and perfectly timed revelations. The writing is crisp and immersive, pulling you straight into its high-stakes world. Characters are both relatable and unpredictable, adding emotional weight to every twist. A must-read that grips tight and doesn’t let go.

Unfortunately I just had to DNF this one. It was just not for me. I just really couldn't get into it

3.5 stars

The cultish beliefs in this book sometimes just threw me for a loop because I just don't understand that mindset, but I do feel she did a great job showing how much some people buy into certain beliefs and will follow them anywhere.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I didn't like it quite as much as her previous novel, but still would recommend if you like cultish tropes. And that ending!!

What did I just read??? I was hooked in the beginning, the middle dragged, and the conclusion sped up. I liked the creepy cult aspect but I kind of felt lost towards the end. Bartz always takes you for a wild ride.

I went into this one excited after loving Julia Bartz’s previous work, so maybe my expectations were a little too high. The Last Session was intriguing, especially with its take on cult dynamics and the way people can be drawn into belief systems that seem wild from the outside. There were definitely moments that pulled me in.

That said, the book didn’t hit quite as hard as I’d hoped. It was solid, but not unforgettable. I found myself more fascinated by the psychology behind the characters than the plot itself. It also made me reflect on how easy it is for people to get swept up in manipulation.

While this one wasn’t a favorite, I’ll absolutely keep reading whatever Bartz writes. She’s already won me over once, and I’m still a fan.

If you’re anything like me and think cults are so fascinating then this book is for you! It starts out in a psychiatric ward with a catatonic patient who leaves behind little messages for the social worker to follow. This leads her to a cult. This book is wild! Every single chapter ended with my mouth hanging open. When I thought I had it figured out I was completely wrong every single time. When I say you can’t trust anyone - you seriously can’t trust anyone. If you’re looking for a super entertaining book with short chapters you can fly through, I highly recommend this one!