I’ve really enjoyed other novels by Bartz and the premise and beginning of The Last Session gave me extremely high hopes. A mix of psychology with a catatonic patient, the patient being a famous actress, and then throw in a cult?! HECK YES. However, this one quite literally went off the rails and I just couldn’t get there.

I had a hard time connecting with the protagonist Thea. She had a traumatic past that really shaped her and while I felt for her, it was exhausting and really drives me to suspend belief. Honestly, who throws a reunion for an eighth grade class?! I also never understood her fixation on a child actress and movie from 15 years ago. It was all bizarre and again, just too outside what I could get myself to believe, even for fiction.

Once Thea (who was broke) decided to go to the ridiculously expensive relationship retreat, all beta were off. She came off as too naive and trusting and for being a social worker (which was portrayed as a full below therapist in the novel), she had horrific instincts and judgment.

All in all this one was a miss. It certainly won’t turn me off to Bartz but I need my fiction grounded a little more in reality or I needed just the cult story and not the six other fluff plots mixed in.

Thank you to Atria for the copy.

The Last Session is a cult-y locked room thriller set at a mysterious retreat in the desert of New Mexico, where Thea, a social worker from New York struggling with her past, attends, eager to uncover the secrets within.
The atmosphere of this book was so unsettling. It was clear there was something strange going on at the otherwise picturesque dating retreat. The overall vibe was disconcerting, especially the hosts. I was really drawn in, despite not really enjoying the main character, needing to solve this mystery right along with her, and I had high hopes for where it was going. Unfortunately the second half of the book almost felt like an entirely different path. Usually I don’t have a problem with suspending disbelief but this one was maybe a little too far fetched even for me. There was a lot going on and maybe not in the best way? It was definitely a whirlwind that I didn’t hate and I didn’t love, overall.
I do have the author’s debut novel and I enjoy the premise of that one, so I’ll definitely be reading that still, this didn’t put me off her work at all. If you like cult suspenses I’d still give this one a shot!

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for sending me a digital review copy!
Publication date 4/1/25

WHAT an incredible and phenomenal locked-room (my FAVORITE type of thriller). Julia and her sister are absolutely of a kind and I read this entirely in one gulp.

So I was hooked during the first third of this book, then it went downhill and I normally like cult stories. Thea and her choices were not believable and it was too far fetched for me.

I loved the first Julia Bart book, so I went into The Last Session thinking, Yes! This is going to be my jam! I mean, cults, psychology, mysterious twins—this book had all the ingredients for something amazing.

And then…it just kept getting weirder.

At first, I was intrigued. The setup was strong, the vibes were eerie, and I was ready for a psychological deep dive. But then the plot just spiraled further and further into nonsense until it slipped right past my brain’s ability to suspend disbelief.

And Thea—oh, Thea. If there was a worst possible decision to make, she was on it. This woman couldn't find a good choice if you handed her a GPS, a tour guide, and a flashing neon sign that said “THIS WAY TO COMMON SENSE.”

Then there’s the connection to that wildly ridiculous movie, which started off as a fun reference but quickly became a full-blown exercise in how far can we push this before the reader’s eyeballs get stuck from rolling so hard?

Look, I’m still on board with Julia Bart as an author—I’ll keep reading her books. But this one? Not for me. If you love a thriller that just goes for it, you might vibe with this more than I did. Personally, I was left equal parts confused, exhausted, and questioning my life choices.

The Last Session by Jessica Bartz releases on 4/1! Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Jessica Bartz for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, and thought the premise was unique and intriguing. Here we have a social worker confronted with a patient that she recognizes and can’t put her finger on. Thea is determined to figure it out, and follows a trail to New Mexico to get to the bottom of what the connection is.

I felt the same about The Writing Retreat as I did about The Last Session, unfortunately, which was “meh.” There was potential and intrigue, but not enough to keep me hooked. It felt like there was just too many unrealistic plot points that it made the entire book just seem too fake? I’m all about an unrealistic point or two for the sake of movement or clarity, but this was just too much for me, unfortunately!

I really enjoyed this book! This is my first Julia Bartz book and you can bet I’ll be reading more of her work!
A story about a mental health worker, a trip to a “relationship healing” center, a crazy cult, reincarnation.. what a great combination! A bit of a slow burn yet still full of twists and turns that had be going back and saying, “wait, what?” Highly recommend everyone reading this book!

The Last Session by Julia Bartz ⭐️⭐️💫

I was excited for this one because I enjoyed The Writing Retreat, but this one didn’t give me the same thrill.

I really enjoyed the cult aspect of this read. It was well done and kept me feeling cringey, which was perfect for the reading experience.

However, I really really struggled with how unrealistic it was and the character motivations. I did not understand why the main character would go searching for her short-term patient, and on top of that, how that search didn’t lead to professional ramifications. It continued to be pretty far-fetched and it just never rounded out for me.

Fans of twisty, cult-focused reads may enjoy this one!

A immersive and propulsive read, but something about it just didn't click with me. Could be the cult aspect? I like the atomsphere and writing, just not a new all time favorite.

If you love books about cults, this one is up your alley. I really enjoyed the first half but it became more unbelievable in the second half which made me lose some of my interest. I’m a mental health professional myself and really cringed at some of the scenes. Overall it was a good book and I did enjoy it, but some aspects just weren’t for me.

Yes! I love books about cults. This was a fun and super intense read. I felt like I was right there with the characters the whole time. This book is very exciting. For a moment, I was worried that the visions and dreams was going to take this book in a whole other direction, but thankfully the story was realistic. Thank you, NetGalley.

In The Last Session, social worker Thea is drawn into a strange mystery when a catatonic woman she recognizes, appears at the psychiatric unit she works at. When the patient suddenly vanishes, Thea follows a trail that leads her to a retreat in New Mexico, where a charming couple conducts therapy sessions focused on romantic and sexual issues. As she herself engages in these intimate exercises, Thea uncovers secrets about both the missing patient and her own past.

While the tone is reminiscent of Bartz’s 2023 novel, The Writing Retreat, this one leans much more toward adult themes. I found it unique and enjoyable, and I highly recommend it to fans of psychological suspense and cult thrillers!

Thea is working as a social worker. Her new patient is catatonic and looks oddly familiar. When the patient goes missing, Thea follows a trail of clues to a remote retreat center.

I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second but only because it went in a direction that it not my favorite. It has a lot of metaphysics to it. While this is not for me, I know many enjoy that so if you do, definitely give it a try. I did really like Thea’s backstory and loved how it affected her and wrapped up.

“Whatever I do or don’t do, it doesn’t matter. Very few of us are going to make it out of here alive.”

The Last Session comes out 4/1.

I really tried to like it I really did. It was just too weird for me. I usually like books about cults but this one just didnt do it for me.

I was really excited to read this book with my friend Marie. From the very first pages, I realized this wasn’t a story where I could overanalyze things—I just had to let go and go with the flow. The book had that eerie, locked-room thriller vibe, with a heavy, atmospheric setting and cult elements that added to the tension.

There was a lot going on—characters appearing and disappearing, secrets unraveling, and twists that kept me questioning everything. At times, it felt overwhelming, like too many moving pieces at once. But by the end, everything fell into place, and I could see how all the chaos had been leading up to that moment.

While it wasn’t the most flawless read, it definitely kept me hooked. The suspense, the unsettling mood, and the mystery made it an experience I won’t forget anytime soon.

The Last Session by Julia Bartz is a book that will have you questioning what's real and what's not.

"A catatonic patient shows up at the psychiatric unit where Thea is a social worker. She thinks she recognizes the patient from somewhere. She's shocked to discover a connection to her own traumatic past. The patient disappears before Thea can talk to her, but she tracks her to a a Wellness Center in the desert. Thea heads there for a weekend retreat hoping to find answers. What she finds has her questioning her own reality."

Do you like cults? Do you like charismatic leaders? Isolated location in the desert? Portals to another dimension? Trippy dreams? Break from reality? You'll love this book. Bartz gets you out in the desert and keeps you guessing. There's a lot of woo-woo from one character - what more do you expect from someone named Moon?

You will question all of Thea's decisions - but will hope she can work through her past trauma.

Fans of psychological thrillers should like this one.

The Last Session by Julia Bartz is the new novel by the author of The Writing Retreat, which I enjoyed for its Gothic vibes and psychological suspense.
In this new work, Bartz moves from the subject of writers to the realm of mental health care and psychological trauma. Most of this story is set at The Center for Relational Healing in New Mexico, a remote compound in the desert.
The protagonist, Thea, is an altruistic social worker, with her own “issues” of past trauma, who gallantly travels from NYC to the New Mexico Center to rescue a damaged former actress (who coincidentally looks just like Thea!) from the hands of the manipulative leaders of the Center.
There is a fairly stereotypical representation of a cult, this one espousing reincarnation. The leaders, Svengali-like Sol and Moon, are also sexual predators, grooming young women. They are also trying to bilk wealthy clients out of their savings, as well. There are many ins and outs and much subterfuge occurring at the Center, as well as a lot of unbelievable scenes involving caves and towers. The final 10% of the story does include exciting action scenes and provides a good wrap up of the characters’ fates.
As much as I liked The Writing Retreat and its prose, I just could not get as invested in this book, with neither the characters nor the story —for me it was just too busy and has a lot of little plot threads tangled in a superficial way.
That said, I will still look for Julia Bartz’s next novel, as I like her writing style.

Thank you to Emily Bestler Books/Atria and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
This is a totally weird and trippy read, but I enjoyed the ride. I loved the atmospheric and cultish vibes, as well as the remote retreat setting throughout. It is a bizarre book and completely different from anything I have ever read before. The second half of the book is a little out there, but I think that was the point and what made the book. You definitely have to think outside of the box and suspend your beliefs while reading this book, but nonetheless it was a crazy and enjoyable ride. Bartz’s writing, characters, and vivid atmospheric details kept my attention throughout. I am always a fan of cult-ish dynamics, and this one had just that. Overall, this was a fun book that I think thriller lovers will either love or hate-but I highly recommend giving it a chance and going into it with an open mind.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Cult-ish vibes
✦A weird and trippy read
✦Atmospheric writing
✦A book that makes you think outside of the box ad suspend your beliefs

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

5/10 kind of a letdown. it was kind of a played out conceptF in all of my mystery reading. some of the more “exciting” parts were so so overdone. it was hard to take it seriously. i think it had potential but it was underwhelming.

Our main character, Thea, feels unmoored in her personal life and at work when a mysterious woman appears in front of her, and while she finds the woman so familiar she can’t quite put her finger on it. When the woman vanishes as quickly as she appears, Thea finds herself being pulled into the world of a mysterious group operating in the a secluded desert mansion. So begins the race to uncover the connections Thea has to this place before it’s too late.

I had loved The Writing Retreat, and so when I saw that Julia Bartz had another novel coming out, I knew I had to read it. It features a main character who feels like she reflects anxieties that many woman experience, as well as a determination to move forward even when the odds are against her. Add in a cult and a secluded compound, and it was a book that I couldn’t put down. Quick paced and mysterious, Bartz has done it again, and I hope there are many more to come.