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.

This is the author's second book, I have read first novel as well.

I don't know if I liked this or not. I felt the same way when I finished her first book. I feel like I was on a roller coaster through three different rides. They all made sense, but I'm not sure if they were boring or uninteresting. I read this one faster than I read her first book, so her writing style has definitely improved.

When I first read the summary I thought that the storyline was so interesting. My idea is that when dealing with cults and not being able to escape them, the reader should feel trapped themselves. I should feel slightly anxious. I should feel in total agreeance with the cult leaders because they are so charismatic and I want to believe these people. This was not like that. I was not grabbed by any one character or storyline. If that makes sense?

The question is hand is will I read her next book... Honestly, it will depend. After reading her first book I didn't think I would pick up her second one. This one was indeed a little better, but is it too little for me to pick up her third. Only time will tell.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this Arc in exchange for an honest review

4.5 stars!

Thank you SO much to Atria and NetGalley for the early copy. I will be posting about this on my Instagram!!

Okay this book was a fever dream from start to finish and I loved the twists and turns. I stayed up late to finish it every night and couldn’t stop thinking about it between reading! Genuinely cannot think of any similar culty books and it’s so refreshing to read a new-feeling thriller.

Julia Bartz is now a must read author for me after two books with equally eerie settings that become characters in the story.

Definitely read this one with caution as there is a lot of violence and death.

-0.5 because this therapist had NOT heard of HIPAA which distracted me a lot in the beginning before it became a plot point

4.5 stars ☆
⤿ spoiler-free review
thank you to net galley for this amazing arc!!

ೃ⁀➷“Guess what, Red. You're just as crazy as any of us. You just hide it well.”

characters: Thea has severe trauma. Her eight grade year was horrific for her, and some things have stuck with her since then, however shameful they might be. Thea also works at a hospital, as a therapist. And finally, Thea deserves so much better. Despite what she goes through in this book, she keeps the humanity that everyone else lacks. Julia Bartz, please heal this poor woman.

plot: There is a new patient at the hospital who requires Thea's help. Thea and this woman look very similar, and Thea cant place a finger on why she thinks this woman is so familiar to her. Come to find out, this woman is linked to her eight grade trauma. When the woman is suddenly ripped away from Thea, she decides to follow a clue she left her, in hopes of returning this woman back to safety. But now, the woman isnt the only one in trouble.

pacing: This was so so so fast. Every chapter was less than 10 pages, and I found myself saying "Just one more chapter". We all know how that works out. This book was also making me incredibly anxious. I have never felt fear for a character like I did for Thea.

✧.* If you are missing the feeling you get when watching a horrific cult documentary, please please please read this. It really did scratch that itch.

First - i want to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this.

I read Bartz' debut novel in February and instantly fell in love with it and her writing style, so it was a no-brainer to request this ARC when I saw it was available on NetGalley.

the Last Session follows Thea while she goes to a relationship-healing session at a compound that is Definitely Not a Cult while trying to follow up on trying to find someone who she thinks may be there against their will. What follows is Thea's very intense weekend at this retreat that brings up all her past traumas to the surface and she has to figure out how much of this weekend is real, how much is acting and how far she is willing to go to save someone who may not want to be saved.

This book deals with very heavy topics (sexual abuse and religious trauma being the most prevalent but please heed the trigger warnings as needed this has a lot of dark subject matter).

As someone who grew up in a Christian environment a lot of Thea's religious trauma really resonated with me and subsequently her fall-out from the church was also relatable. Our fall outs came from very different places but we both had a lot of faith in God and watched as it crumbled when true trauma entered out lives. What I loved most about Thea's journey was watching how her religious background colored a lot of her experiences. Our traumas are different, but our journeys navigating a before during and after religious disentanglement felt very relatable for me.

What I love about Bartz' storytelling is she doesn't feel predictable for me. I read a LOT of thrillers, I am starting to burn out on the genre simply because I read so many they can rarely surprise me. I won't say this book SHOCKED me at any point, but the journey was so enjoyable and i definitely did not predict most of the reveals, though they all fell neatly into place for me. Bartz' doesnt take the story super serious which i say because it allows her to really dig deep into her topics and explore every avenue. Much like with the Writing Retreat where you may question if there was anything paranormal or not, you'll leave the Last Session wondering just how real the cult was or not. Bartz doesnt commit either way to these ideas in a way that really works for the story. She isnt concerned with if this will fully fit into reality - and lets you decide which version is true

I would say if you liked Writing Retreat AND you like Cult stories, this is a win/win. if you dont like cult stories this will probably not work as the cult is a major element of the story that cannot be avoided.

What a ride this was! Started out okay and there was a bit of a mystery with one of Thea's patients in a psych ward. But then, we got drawn into the cult stuff, as Thea goes to hunt down her patient after her release and a mysterious message. I definitely got sucked in once she was at the retreat, and went along with it, trusting the author wasn't going to end this book in an unsatisfying way. I will say it could have been a bit better, still some unexplained things, but overall I was pleased with it, despite the loose ends, and just really enjoyed the ride!

I didn’t love Julia’s last book, but I liked it enough to try out her next one. The Last Session started out strong, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I thought it was going to be a winner. Unfortunately, the middle to end became quite unbelievable and then completely went off the rails. There was a fever dream type of chapter, that didn’t have a definitive conclusion. And parts were thrown in randomly and then it ended. I felt like I was missing chapters and some may have been out of order. There were large puzzle pieces missing that I did not understand. This book just wasn’t for me.

A social worker crosses paths with an actress who looks a lot like her and ends up following her across the country to a retreat center in New Mexico to save her, but things quickly spiral out of control. I remember similar vibes from Julia Bartz's first book, The Writing Retreat, so I was excited to see where this sophomore book would take me.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the story at first, but it drew me in and was highly entertaining. You quickly learn that you can't trust any of the characters and everyone is pretending to be someone they're not. Bartz nailed the desert resort vibes, relaxing and remote but unsettling and isolated. The story goes a little off the rails towards the end, so be prepared to suspend a little disbelief. Overall, this was a unique psychological thriller.

Synopsis
When a catatonic woman is admitted to her psychiatric unit Thea is convinced she knows her from somewhere. Upon discharge the woman is deemed missing by her parents leaving Thea determined to find her and also answer questions to her own past.

Review
As a social worker I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about each woman’s experience. The book had a nice pace throughout. The retreat gave me the feel of a 70s holistic vibe and I wanted to empathize with each character. Each character stood out and you saw some character development.
I give this 3 stars as I felt some pieces were drawn out and I would have like more character growth.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is one of those books where you’re either gonna have fun with it or you’ll roll your eyes and hate the direction it goes - I’m part of the former. It was ridiculous of course but I loved every part of the insanity.

I’m always a sucker for a culty book and this had such an interesting twist to it. It had the typical locked room vibe with a creepily atmospheric setting. The whole book felt like such a fever dream - not knowing what was real, who to trust.

I think to love this book, you need to go in ready for a batshit book that’s so far from your typical thriller. I need to run to read Julia Bartz previous book because I need more ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me about 60% through.

Thea, an art therapist with her own shady past, meets her doppelganger in the form of a former child actress turned cult member. Thea's obsessive journey for the truth about this actress (and about herself), brings her to a New Mexican cult disguised as a romantic and sexual therapy retreat where she hopes to unravel mysteries both old and new.

This isn't my first read by Julia Bartz, and I really did enjoy The Writing Retreat. I was expecting similar paranormal vibes, which you don't quite find with this novel; instead, you're faced with a twisty narrative and a protagonist that was difficult to root for. Where Bartz finds the connection between self-discovery and trauma, her story becomes a bit TOO implausible, requiring a suspension of belief a bit too much for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest reivew.

What on earth did I just read? I was expecting this to be like her previous book but this was not it. Don't get me wrong I loved it but it was wild.

There was so many different elements and places that this story takes you that don't expect to go. This story that started as a psychological thriller taking place in a psychiatric institution takes us to a love retreat in the desert of Arizona.

Some parts of this book had me lost in the sense that I didn't know what to expect but in a way I think this is a great writing structure for Julia. Keeps her readers guessing and she has a true cult classic following.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Meh. And I love the genre of ‘traumatized woman becomes a therapist, is a self-destructive hot mess, makes a bunch of dumb/unethical decisions, and investigates shit that is none of her damn business.’

A social worker at a psychiatric hospital gets a nonresponsive Jane Doe patient and hilarity ensues. Hilarity involving wellness retreats that might be cults, and working through traumas.

About halfway through, it felt like 2 different books… and none of them ended up being all that interesting. The cult stuff was just a letdown and pretty dull. Cults should be more exciting, OK?

I hadn’t read this author’s first book, but since I got this ARC on NetGalley I figured I’d start with this one. And now at least I know there’s no reason to read the first one. Not if it’s as meh as this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: You know, I don't even know what to say. I tried. I did. This had everything I would typically enjoy in a thriller especially the wellness gone bad aspect. However, this seals the deal, this author is not for me. I just cannot find the tropes and topics used in this to be appealing or interesting. There are too many twists and turns that don't need to be there. It's far too dramatic and that's saying something for a popcorn thriller. I really hoped this would deliver given what it's supposed to be about but I honestly could not. I won't try again because I don't think it's fair to review a book by an author that doesn't work for me year after year. The only reason I tried this one is because I really loved the synopsis. I am very disappointed.

I am still not sure how I really felt about this book.
The first 25% I was hooked.
The last 75% I was completely confused.
I still don't know half the answers to the questions I have.
I don't even know how to write a review on this one because I am still shaking my head in disbelief at what I just read.

This was just not the book for me. As a social worker, I can’t accept the behaviors of this social worker, and I don’t love a book about cults. It’s just a no from me.

Cult Vibes, Questionable Ethics, and a Sci-Fi Movie? What is "The Last Session"

I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of The Last Session. (Many thanks to Atria Books for an electronic ARC in exchange for my authentic review). Julia Bartz’s debut, The Writing Retreat, was a favorite of mine—dark, suspenseful, and just the right amount of unsettling. So, I went into this one with high expectations. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. This was weird, but not the good kind of weird. More like what did I just read? weird. 2 stars.

A Social Worker with No Boundaries

Our protagonist, Thea, is a social worker. In theory, this should make her a thoughtful, professional, and ethical character. In practice, she has zero boundaries and seems to have skipped the day in training where they covered HIPAA. She crosses so many professional lines that it’s hard to root for her, and that’s before the story really starts unraveling. For someone trained to help others process trauma, Thea has done shockingly little self-reflection on her own past, making her a deeply frustrating protagonist. Her inability to separate her personal struggles from her work leads to boundary violations so blatant that it's a wonder she hasn't been stripped of her license.

The Center for Relational Healing

The book takes place at an isolated retreat, a setup I normally love. There’s a group dynamic at play, tension simmering just under the surface, and the kind of social experiment atmosphere that promises psychological horror. And this was one place that I truly think The Last Session shines. The weird mosaic art piece/wellness center (aptly titled The Center for Relational Healing) in the New Mexico desert creates an eerie, otherworldly backdrop that feels both mystical and oppressive. The isolation, the strange therapeutic exercises, and the unsettling cult-like undertones all work together to build a sense of creeping dread, making the environment one of the strongest elements of the book."

Cult Vibes, Orgies, and a Bizarre Sci-Fi Movie

While the premise and setting had so much potential, the story takes some deeply bizarre turns. Without spoiling too much (but also, check out spoiler tags if you’re considering reading this one), we get:

A completely unexpected and strangely written group sex scene that comes out of nowhere.

Profound sexual trauma that is introduced but not handled with much depth or care.

A strange connection to a fictional sci-fi movie, which felt like it belonged in a different book entirely.

The combination of these elements made for a reading experience that was more frustrating than thrilling. The horror elements were present, but they didn’t build up effectively, and the character decisions often felt forced or implausible.

Final Thoughts on "The Last Session"

I wanted to love this. I should have loved this, given how much I enjoy books that lean into psychological horror, cults, and eerie group dynamics. But The Last Session never came together for me. Instead of feeling deeply unsettled in the best way, I was mostly confused and occasionally uncomfortable. However, despite all its flaws, The Last Session was the kind of trainwreck I couldn’t look away from—fast, compulsively readable, and so completely unhinged that I kept turning pages just to see what absurd twist would come next. And honestly? I kind of enjoyed the chaos.

The Last Session will be published on April 1, 2025. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one—especially if you think I missed something! But for me, this was a disappointing follow-up to The Writing Retreat.

Especially after reading Julia Bartz’s debut novel, The Writing Retreat, I was so excited to get into this! Unfortunately, this book fell pretty flat for me and was definitely underwhelming. The beginning was compelling and the end was wild, but the middle chunk is what lost me.

Mostly, I really could not get behind any of the wacky ideas Thea had. I’m all for suspending belief, but a social worker trying to infiltrate a cult to find her missing patient? Lmao no. A good chunk of this book was just Thea going through the motions of this cult and borderline getting sucked in. Once she got to the “retreat”, it took so long for there to be much talk about or real efforts to find Catherine.

And Thea was just so immediately trusting?? Like skeptical still, but she just kind of went along with everything and was way too chill. And then she would be shocked when things suddenly got worse, or something sketchy happened. Like yeah girl, you have no idea what you’re doing and you’re just winging this whole thing!? I’m sorry, Thea was actually pretty dumb lol. But I guess that’s what being in/around a cult does to you? So this book did end up being more of an exploration of the psychology of cults, less thriller.

I honestly did have to force myself to finish this…the 3 star rating is pretty generous. I really did like the concept of a social worker infiltrating a cult and helping a missing person, but this was just bizarre and not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the pre-release copy of The Last Session. Below is my honest review.

This one was a wild ride! After The Writing Retreat, I had high expectations of Julia Bartz's second novel, and she delivered.

It did everything well - world building? Check. Really deep and developed characters? Check. Top notch plot twists? Check. Awesome locale? Check. Perfect build of foreboding atmosphere? Check.

Highly recommend this one to fans of culty stuff, mysteries, and working through personal traumas through the written word.

The writing itself is good and engaging and I always enjoy this author's voice. However, the storyline didn't work for me. It was a little too outlandish and I've read a lot of cult/retreat types of books and this one just didn't quite hit the mark for me as far as where it went and I wasn't a fan of any of the characters.