I had high hopes going into this, especially after The Writing Retreat, but unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me.
While the book offers an intriguing premise—a social worker drawn into a psychological mystery connected to her own past—the execution ultimately falls short. The novel begins with promise: Thea, a psychiatric social worker, recognizes a catatonic patient from a traumatic moment in her own history. When the woman suddenly disappears, Thea is compelled to uncover the truth, leading her to a remote and mysterious wellness retreat in the New Mexico desert.

What could have been a tightly woven psychological thriller becomes muddled as the story leans heavily into cult-like dynamics and increasingly implausible scenarios. The suspense is undermined by the need to suspend disbelief beyond a reasonable threshold, especially as the retreat’s “exercises” grow more extreme and detached from reality.

Additionally, character development is a significant weakness. Many of the secondary characters blend together with indistinct personalities, making it difficult to stay invested in the unfolding drama or care about the outcomes. Thea herself has moments of depth, but her motivations often feel inconsistent, especially as the plot veers into the surreal.

Though the novel attempts to explore trauma, identity, and the dangers of groupthink, its impact is dulled by a reliance on sensational twists rather than grounded tension. Fans of psychological thrillers may find some entertainment in the pacing and atmosphere, but overall, the story doesn’t quite deliver on its gripping premise.

This psychological thriller starts strong with an eerie mystery and a compelling connection between Thea and her catatonic patient. The premise—delving into trauma through a suspicious retreat in the desert—is unique and filled with suspense.
However, while the buildup is gripping, the pacing falters midway, and some plot elements stretch believability. The climax feels rushed, leaving lingering questions. Still, the exploration of memory, trauma, and manipulation adds depth, making it a worthwhile, if not fully satisfying, read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the early copy

I was so excited to begin reading this book. It took a little while to get into, and once I did, I couldn't put it down! I would definitely recommend.

Unfortunately this book did not work out for me. I was initially intrigued with the overall plot. I was also interested in the author because I really enjoyed the Writing Retreat. The book eventually went off the rails and felt redundant,

I am surprised by the poor reviews on this book. It made me rethink reading but after the 40% mark, I could not put it down. I really enjoyed this one.

Reading The Last Session felt like stepping into a therapy session that slowly turned into a psychological puzzle I couldn’t put down. I was hooked by the eerie atmosphere and the slow unraveling of each character’s past. As someone who loves books that make you question what's real and who to trust, this one completely delivered. The setting was claustrophobic in the best way, and the tension kept me flipping pages late into the night. Creepy, clever, and totally consuming.

As both a writer and a therapist I'm always hesitant with therapy-based thrillers (but I'm drawn to them anyways.) This was such a fun read. I thought the overlap between social worker and client was such an interesting take. I love Julia's books, and The Last Session is just another step toward me becoming a super fan.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I was really intrigued by the premise—and I’d enjoyed another book by Julia Bartz—so I went in with high hopes. It started strong and hooked me early on, but then it took a turn that felt... off. The storyline shifted into this strange cult/sex therapy/ritual territory that didn’t feel fully developed or grounded. It seemed like the book wasn’t sure what it wanted to be, and the lack of direction made it hard to stay invested. I love a good dark, twisty story, but this one just didn’t vibe for me.

I was SO happy when I was picked for an e-arc! Bartz is a fave and writes the most twisted and insanely wild thriller. This thriller left me dazed and shocked! I loved it and I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us!

The Last Session was a story of obsession, childhood trauma, extreme beliefs, and manipulation. It was also intriguing but insane. I'm torn on this one.

Sadly, I really struggled to get into this book. I did appreciate the content warning at the beginning of the book, which also made me decide to stop reading before I was triggered. Although I like Julia Bartz’s writing, this book was a miss for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for an ARC!

I really enjoyed this white-knuckled locked-room thriller novel! Thank you so, so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title!

Blurb:
When a catatonic woman shows up at the psychiatric unit, social worker Thea swears she knows her from somewhere. She’s shocked to discover the patient holds a link to a traumatic time in her past. Upon regaining lucidity, the patient claims she can’t remember the horrific recent events that caused her brain to shut down. Thea’s at a loss—especially when the patient is ripped away from her as suddenly as she appeared.

Determined to find her, Thea follows a trail of clues to a remote center in Southwestern New Mexico, where a charismatic couple holds a controversial monthly retreat to uncover attendees’ romantic and sexual issues. Forced to participate in increasingly intimate exercises, Thea finds herself inching closer not only to her missing patient, but also to tantalizing answers about her harrowing past. However, time is running out, and if she stays for the last session, she too might lose her mind…or worse.

what a crazy roller coaster. I wanted so much more from this one. It started to go the unhinged route but then just fell off

🤯𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧🤯

Cult lovers.!!! We have a new novel on the market😂

Are you looking for an absolutely unhinged thriller about cult set in southwest New Mexico?!?!

Let me tell you, this gem of a novel was published yesterday and it will take you for a WILD ride😂🤯😬. I loved it but please take heed when I say it’s truly unhinged and absolutely not for everyone haha

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘From the instant New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat, a white-knuckled locked-room thriller about a social worker who, after coming face-to-face with her dark past, must infiltrate a mysterious wellness center in the deserts of New Mexico.

When a catatonic woman shows up at the psychiatric unit, social worker Thea swears she knows her from somewhere. She’s shocked to discover the patient holds a link to a traumatic time in her past. Upon regaining lucidity, the patient claims she can’t remember the horrific recent events that caused her brain to shut down. Thea’s at a loss—especially when the patient is ripped away from her as suddenly as she appeared.

Determined to find her, Thea follows a trail of clues to a remote center in Southwestern New Mexico, where a charismatic couple holds a controversial monthly retreat to uncover attendees’ romantic and sexual issues. Forced to participate in increasingly intimate exercises, Thea finds herself inching closer not only to her missing patient, but also to tantalizing answers about her harrowing past. However, time is running out, and if she stays for the last session, she too might lose her mind…or worse.’

What’s the most unhinged book you’ve ever read?! What’s your favorite cultish novel?!

Absolutely love me a good thriller! And this cover is perfect. I love a good, quick read in the summer time that keeps me on the edge of my seat! Julia Bartz is one of a kind.

The Last Session was a great read! This is my first read by Julia Bartz and I would definitely pick up another! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and how their stories fit together.

Thea, a therapist at a mental health facility has some baggage of her own. When a familiar faced nonverbal Jane Doe is assigned to her as a patient she makes it her mission to figure out who she is. Thea does not only that but along with discovering her identity also detects a connection between herself and the patient. And the feeling is mutual. When the Jane Doe is confirmed as none other than movie star Catherine O’Brien AKA childhood Thea’s celebrity role model the media goes into a frenzy. Amidst the media circus, Thea meets a cute guy, Jonah, outside of the hospital she works at and decides to go out drinking with him and takes him home. There’s only one problem- after she drunkenly blabs some information to him about Catherine he’s no longer interested in Thea. The next day Catherine is to be picked up by her parents but it is discovered when her REAL parents come to get her that she was released to imposters. Jonah reappears and lets her know he has actually been working for the O’Briens trying to track down Catherine.

Thea starts to hunt for clues as to who took Catherine. She finds breadcrumbs via a podcast left behind by Catherine clueing her in to the fact that she may have been taken to a relationship healing retreat run by a couple going by the names of Sol and Moon. Thea finds herself signing up for the retreat in order to gain information about Catherine’s whereabouts. The location of the retreat is very remote which is a concern, but Thea can’t shake the deep connection she feels to Catherine and can’t pass up the only lead she has. Once at the retreat she meets the other attendees and is faced with the decision of who to trust. And then Jonah shows up. He claims he’s there on business hired by Catherine’s parents. Thea finds herself wondering if he’s involved in her disappearance or on Thea’s side. Just when you think you’ve hit the climax of the craziness, you realize you’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Is Catherine even there? Who can Thea trust? Are any of these people who they say they are? Did Thea send herself on a wild goose chase and this really is just a healing retreat? Or something more sinister? These are all of the questions that will be plaguing your brain.

It does seem like some characters were unnecessary to the story as a whole. For instance, Thea’s friend Dom. She just seemed like fluff and the story would’ve been just as strong without her character.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Last Session by Julia Bartz had a premise that immediately intrigued me, with its remote desert retreat setting in Southwestern New Mexico creating an eerie and atmospheric backdrop. The isolation and intensity of the environment really ramped up the tension, which I appreciated. However, while I enjoyed the mood and suspense, I couldn’t help but feel that this book didn’t quite live up to her debut novel.

The biggest issue for me was the cult’s beliefs, which were difficult to follow. The explanations felt overly convoluted and took me out of the story, making it hard to grasp what the group’s motivations really were. As a result, the relationships between the characters and some of the bigger reveals lost a bit of their impact. It felt like the narrative got bogged down by these abstract, philosophical explanations when I would have preferred more focus on the psychological tension and the dynamic of the group.

Overall, I found The Last Session to be just okay. While it definitely had its moments, especially in terms of atmosphere and suspense, I found myself enjoying her first book much more. The pacing here was slower, and I felt like the core mystery and the tension between the characters could have been more tightly woven together. Still, I’ll be curious to see what Bartz does next!

I think I'm giving up on Julia Bartz. I am zero for two with her books and don't think there will be a third chance. What did I just read? This book was absolutely terrible and I feel a little bit bad saying that, but it’s the honest truth. It was all over the place, and not in a good way.
1 star

I'm sorry to say this didn't work for me at all. It requires complete suspension of disbelief, and at that point, I have to wonder why the book is worth my time at all. I didn't like the main character, and her actions didn't make sense, so nothing was compelling there for me beyond the easy writing style. I don't get the point of the story and that makes it completely uninteresting to me.

I don't know--maybe it's just me. This is my second read by this author and, again, I find myself disappointed in a book that looked so good for me on its surface.

Other reviews have talked about the overall plot. I won't reiterate that here, but I will say that the increasingly implausible occurrences made it hard for me to fully buy in. Furthermore, while the subject matter is mostly quite adult-oriented, I felt too often like Thea, the protagonist, was a (very) young adult, at best. (The whole Stargirl thing was . . . . a lot.) As I pushed through to the conclusion, I did have some interest in seeing how the author would wrap the whole thing up, but beyond that, I didn't feel much of a connection to the characters or the storyline.

I am willing to say that the problems here might all be mine. Lots of folks are enjoying this one, so maybe give it a try. But if it doesn't work for you, just remember I told you so.