hooked right from the beginning! The story line pulls you right in and keeps you in; up until probably 3/4 way through the plot started to get a little out there, but the author did an amazing job with this book!

Julia Bartz's THE WRITING RETREAT was one of my favorite thrillers of 2023. I have been long-awaiting her sophomore novel. I am so sad to say that it wasn't my favorite. I think part of my let down is due to my high expectations. Her first book being a 5-star read for me, I was expecting this one to do the same. I really liked how THE LAST SESSION started, but after about the 15% mark I started losing interest. I really wanted to love this one. Maybe I'll go back later and give it a try in a different format!

DNF'd at 10%. This is my bad for requesting a thriller when I have been personally over mystery/thrillers lately. I wanted to give it a chance, but the (I mean this lovingly) weird, dark, cult-y thrillers are not really my thing and I don't want to rate the book unfairly low because of that.

While I ultimately enjoyed it, this one was kind of a mixed bag for me...without giving anything away, the more "out there" elements felt like a little much to me and got a little tedious. At the same time, I totally get the point, and I didn't stop reading! But I loved Julia Bartz's previous book and liked this one so anything she writes next will still be an automatic read for me.

I read Julia Bartz's debut, The Writing Retreat, and thoroughly enjoyed it. When I saw this title, I knew I had to check it out. I was braced for the same campiness that was in The Writing Retreat, but this brought something entirely different... Science fiction?

I do feel the labeling and synopsis of this book were misleading. I would likely not have picked it up if I knew the direction it would be heading in. A psychological thriller with ambiguous ties between characters and a mystery to unravel - I'm there. But this... this lost me somewhere.

I still enjoyed this, but I was not sure what was going on. I think if this had been blurbed or even just tagged correctly, I would feel differently. Overall, it was just fine. I enjoyed the story, but certainly felt confused halfway through.

Wtf did I just read? This entire book read like a fever dream. After reading The Writing Retreat, I was SOOO excited to get an ARC for this book. It started out confusing, then got boring for a while, then turned downright insane and not in a good way.

I’m giving it 2 stars simply because I appreciate the work the author put into it, but it’s a big no for me. Honestly I only finished it because it was given to me, otherwise I think it would have been a DNF.

4-Star Review: The Last Session

Absolutely amazing book. I, of course, can never quite turn down a story involving a mysterious cult—and The Last Session delivers that intrigue in spades. The plot is gripping, the pacing tight, and the atmosphere drenched in just enough dread to keep you flipping pages late into the night. The characters are layered, and the unraveling of secrets is handled with care and suspense.

While there were a few moments where I wished for a bit more depth in certain character backstories or a sharper emotional punch in the resolution, the book more than made up for it with its eerie setting and thought-provoking themes. If you’re a fan of psychological tension with a touch of the uncanny, this one’s a must-read.

Highly recommend to those who love their thrillers with a side of cultish mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A huge shout out to the publisher for also providing me with a finished copy of The Last Session.

I am simply not sure that this author is for me.

The writing is great, and I enjoy the writing style. The author really develops the characters and sets the scene for the story - but I have read both of her books so far and haven't overly enjoyed either simply because the story is not for me.

The psychological element is something I enjoyed in this book, but that's where it stops. Things got strange with cult activity, sacrifice and reincarnation. If that's up your alley then give this one a try!

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!

"The Last Session" by Julia Bartz leaves much to be desired. The plot feels meandering and lacks a strong central focus, making it challenging for me to stay engaged.

The pacing is inconsistent, with some sections dragging on unnecessarily, while others rush through critical moments that could have benefited from more exploration. Ultimately, "The Last Session" struggles to be an enjoyable read!

Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced copy of The Last Session by Julia Bartz.

This started out interesting and a great premise, but unfortunately, this was not the book for me.

I wanted to love this because the plot was so intriguing and I loved The Writing Retreat.

The book started out great but it failed to really hook me and everything just became pretty ridiculous nonsense by the end. I couldn't wait for it to be over, never a great sign. Pretty unrelatable characters, as well.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. the premise sounded intriguing, but the characters and the pacing just made it hard for me to stay invested.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eArc in exchange for my honest review!

Who doesn’t love a book about cults? I know I do, cults are so intriguing and delusional, that I want to know what drives them. What I like about Julia Bartz, is that she’s not afraid to dive into the uncomfortable. This book is a disturbing, trippy, psychological thriller that is not for everyone, but I couldn’t stop reading it. Julia does such a good job of bringing trauma and mental health onto the page but you need to be willing to suspend disbelief in some areas. I loved the remote atmosphere and many of characters were well fleshed out. It’s a suspenseful & compelling read but be aware of any trigger warnings.

Thea, a social worker haunted by her past, is immersed in a series of secrets when a catatonic patient finds a connection with her. This leads Thea to a remote wellness retreat in the desert of New Mexico where they challenge her truths, beliefs, and her sanity.

Thank you to @netgalley & @atriabooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A compelling twisty psychological thriller with themes of sexual/religious trauma, identity, healing, mental health, cultural appropriation and cults, phew that's a lot right? Bartz deftly intertwines these elements with remarkable sensitivity and insight, all while maintaining an unsettling atmosphere that heightens the suspense and unease, an incredibly suspenseful and atmospheric mystery with a protagonist whose journey elicits genuine empathy, much like a Catriona Ward novel the reader is left wondering that the hell is going on, it's intense and will have you second guessing everything, overall, a fantastic thriller!

The author's debut novel Writing Retreat was so special, I had to read the follow up. Sadly, it was the sophomore slump to me. It started out very promising and intriguing but turned to just plain weird. One of the characters, Jonah, is completely debased before the end. For some, the abuse and kinky sex may be difficult to deal with. I hope her next outing is more on par with her first book..

This was not at all what I was expecting and I loved it! I was not expecting a cult story and it was so good. Always kept me guessing, always shocks around the corner. Four solid stars!

Releasing April 1st 2025, I want to thank Atria Books, Julia Bartz, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is a thriller with a social worker main character, which immediately intrigued me. I work as a counselor and I love books with counselors and related professions in lead roles. It is usually apparent which authors have experience going to therapy themselves or have researched well. This author definitely read a beginning counseling text with a few theories in it and got the basics down. It definetely read like our main character, Thea, was new to the helping professions, as they had internal ethical and personal mental health battles alongside the main mystery plot.

This is my first Julia Bartz and her writing was good, with decent characterization and a really interesting story, which is what drew me to the book to begin with. I did not expect The Last Session to be quite as unhinged as it was, but it was a wild ride. I do not like how it made in-patient psychiatric units look so uninformed and without protocol. I thought the trauma experienced by Thea was intense and maybe could have been addressed in a different way. She had lost most of her protective factors within the first 15% of the book which was really preparing us for a crazed experience later on.

The paths this book has lead down are a bit nonsensical and while the haziness of the narrative seems intentional, I fear it is masking many plot holes. The ending of the story was interesting, but all too well wrapped for a psychological thriller. Could have maybe used a cheeky wink at the end, but altogether, an okay experience.

1.75 out of 5 stars
Unfortunately, The Last Session just wasn’t for me. While the premise sounded intriguing, the execution fell flat and I found myself struggling to stay invested. The characters didn’t resonate with me, and the pacing felt uneven throughout.

I kept waiting for the story to hook me, but it never quite got there. There may be readers who connect more with the themes or style, but personally, I didn’t enjoy it. Just not my taste.

This is my first book by this author. The story offers an intriguing glimpse into a mysterious cult, which initially pulls you in with its eerie premise. While the slow start sets the stage for tension, the plot soon escalates into an odd mix of bizarre and far-fetched twists that feel unnecessary. Despite the excitement building midway through, the narrative becomes increasingly hard to follow, detracting from its overall impact. While it has moments of potential, the story loses its grip, leading to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, it earns 3 stars for its unique concept, but the execution falters.