Thank you Atria for the review copy! I was a big fan of the writing retreat and excited to read this new book from Julia Bartz. For me though this is the 4 star writing and style that I loved in Bartz's debut but a plot and theme, especially as the book progresses, that didn't engage me and just didn't come together as a story that I wanted to stick with. Still a fan, still excited to see what she does next but this one was not a win, I found the themes and therapeutic ideas alienating as a reader.

I’ll officially read anything this author writes. The Writing Retreat was one of my favorites a few years back, and I enjoyed this almost as much. I live a thriller at a wellness retreat, and this one was extra dark,

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Julia Bartz delivers another masterful psychological thriller with *The Last Session*, a novel that hooks you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Set in a high-stakes group therapy retreat, the story masterfully weaves tension, secrets, and unexpected twists into an atmospheric and unsettling narrative.

Bartz’s characters are deeply flawed yet compelling, each bringing their own baggage and hidden motives to the retreat. As the layers of their pasts unravel, the suspense intensifies, keeping readers on edge with every revelation. The claustrophobic setting heightens the unease, making you feel as if you're right there with the characters, unsure of who to trust.

With sharp prose, psychological depth, and a plot that keeps you second-guessing until the very end, *The Last Session* is an absolute must-read for fans of thrillers like *The Guest List* and *The Silent Patient*. Julia Bartz has once again proven herself a master of the genre. Highly recommended!

A social worker confronts her dark past when a catatonic patient triggers memories of a traumatic event. Infiltrating a mysterious wellness center in the desert, she uncovers disturbing secrets while searching for the missing patient before it's too late.

This book was a slow burn for me, as I initially struggled to become fully engaged. I made two attempts to immerse myself in the story, wanting to ensure I paid proper attention. Having enjoyed the author's previous work, I was eager to delve into this new piece.

However, I found this book to be lengthy and at times overly detailed, failing to captivate me as previous works had. The multitude of characters and complex plot made it challenging to maintain focus, hindering my ability to connect with or relate to the characters. The toxic, cult-like environment depicted was unexpected and left me feeling disconnected from the story. While the plot concept was intriguing, the execution fell short of my expectations.

Despite my reservations, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinion. Consider exploring the audiobook version, as a skilled narrator can enhance the overall flow of the story. This may provide a more seamless experience if the written format does not resonate with you.

If you are drawn to narratives featuring cult-like dynamics, social pressures, past traumas, and unconventional relationships, this book may be a compelling read for you.

Thank you, Atria Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted ARC of this novel!

As with this author’s previous books, I was hooked right away and couldn’t stop turning pages. I went into this pretty blind otherwise, which I think set me up well here as this novel is a wild ride. I didn’t expect any of the twists at any time, and they were revealed at the perfect times to further the plot. I did enjoy the FMC POV, who readers follow for the majority of the novel. I would recommend giving this one a read but please check any relevant trigger warnings before doing so!

3.5, honestly not sure which way I'm leaning but giving a 4 because this was a neat idea and I enjoyed a lot of aspects. I was in and out of this one - certain chapters had me tearing through, others I had to force myself to read. The story itself is pretty interesting, but I found it slightly disjointed at times, and I failed to connect with certain characters in a significant way. The middle of this book is the strongest, and for me, the last 25% was the weakest. Would recommend to fans of the genre!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Okay, I have learned that this author is just not my vibe. Nothing against her actual writing, just the stories always take such odd turns and just isn’t the content I like to read. I thought this would be a typical thriller based on the description but it definitely went weird. Unfortunately won’t be reading anymore from Julia.

I usually love a good cult story, but this one just didn't do it for me.

This was my first time reading Julia Bartz. I have heard great things about her debut, so I was excited to give her new book. The story follows Thea, a social worker in a psychiatric unit, who becomes fixated on a patient with a traumatic past. Her curiosity leads her to a remote wellness center in New Mexico, where reality, therapy, and manipulation start to blur.

The premise had so much potential, but the execution fell a little flat for me. Some moments were genuinely intriguing, and I thought the story was heading in a better direction—only for it to veer into over-the-top territory that didn’t quite make sense. Despite the dramatic twists, the pacing still felt slow.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book is not for the faint of heart, so heed the content warnings. It also has aspects of kink, so if that bothers you, you might want to stay away. However, if you like books about cults, this one has it all. The FMC sometimes makes decisions based on her psychiatric history that might have you screaming, "Don't do that!" However, it's a good psychological thriller.

Very disappointed with this one. The first half of the book was so interesting and promising and then Thea went completely out of character and got wasted on the most important night and everything took the worst turn. The entire plot was lost, the story became disjointed, and none of the events following the binge were believable. It was messy and not well thought out. The other characters were not utilized properly or fleshed out enough for anything else that happened to make sense.

The story opens when social worker Thea recognizes a catatonic patient from her past, who then vanishes after the two connect. Thea's search to find her patient leads her to a remote wellness retreat in New Mexico, run by a charismatic couple, where she participates in intense exercises to uncover the truth. As Thea delves deeper, she confronts her own buried traumas, blurring the lines between therapy and manipulation, and questioning the retreat's practices and her own sanity. The story unfolds as a suspenseful journey into a potentially dangerous cult, where a missing person's search becomes a confrontation with the FMC’s dark past.

I picked this up because I cannot get enough of cult thrillers. I thought this was a fun, quick read. Super twisty, kept me guessing, which I liked. But it was trying to do so much. Trauma, cults, sex-positivity...it got a bit messy. Felt like it needed to winnow down a bit for the sake of clarity. So while I had a good time with it, I would have probably enjoyed my reading experience a bit more if it wasn't trying to be everything at once. Solid 3 stars!

I really can’t tell you what kept me engaged in this book because it wasn’t the most twisty or action packed book, but I could not put it down. There was something about the writing and the aspect of the cult that kept me pulled into the storyline.

We watch Thea grow from her past trauma but working through the current trauma in New Mexico. This book kept you on your toes on wether or not the what the cult believed in was true.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 364
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

I was at first intrigued about this book. I wanted to see where this mystery would go. Then the story took a weird turn and went down a cliff I could not climb out of. I was so confused and then I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy the story so skipped a whole bunch of chapters to get to the end. Unfortunately this book wasnt for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Julia Bartz's The Last Session is a dark and suspenseful read that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
It’s quite entertaining and full of suspense! A great thriller!
This was packed full of twists and action and you won’t be able to put it down until the end.
If you evicted her previous title The Writing Retreat, you’ll love her newest book.

I enjoyed this authors first book so much, so I was anxious to read this one. The premise was so promising and I enjoyed the first half, but by the second half I was underwhelmed. It felt too unrealistic and odd for me. I will still read the authors next book though.

Bartz has another hit with The Last Session. This psychological thriller keeps you guessing throughout the entirety of the story. I thought I had it solved, but the twists kept coming! The main character has a very sad past that it takes some time to reveal, all while the story unfolds and makes the reader wonder what is actually real. Even at the end I was left wondering what was real and what was psychological. I love novels that make me think and this one did not fail!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I read Julia Bartz's 1st book and loved it so I was so excited to get this arc. Unfortunately it was just not for me. I DNF at 64%. There were so many things going on I honestly had no idea what I was reading. The beginning of the booked I really enjoyed but part 2 and on I was lost.

If you're into cults and strange things then this book would be good for you. I do enjoy this author so I will continue to read her books.

Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books for my gifted copy!

“The playground was empty. I smiled at the ghost of my younger self near the slide. All this time, she’d been stuck here. But I’d take her with me when I left.”

I feel like I just came up for air. Which is befitting. This book is a suffocating study on how a cult operates. How hard it is to tell the difference between the truth and manipulation. There was a fantastic exploration of religion that closely mirrored my own, and I appreciated how raw and authentic it was. The Last Session speaks on trauma and the pattern it can create throughout life. It was enthralling. And needless to say, this book sucked me in and didn’t let go until the very end.

I was a fan of Julia Bartz’s first novel, The Writing Retreat, and frankly, loved The Last Session despite the horrible reviews on goodreads. I’m not entirely sure why it’s rated so badly. The writing wasn’t tight, there was a little too much explanation for some of the therapy talk, but otherwise it was a good read. The characters were flawed and relatable. Bartz has an education and experience in social work and therapy, so it is fitting she easily pinned down the cast of characters.

Usually, I do not read books below a 3.5 rating. But I’m learning that some of the best books I’ve read are not highly rated. Reading is subjective. 🤷‍♀️ I would still recommend this one regardless.

Thea is a social worker in a psych unit. When a very familiar woman is admitted in a catatonic state, Thea feels some kind of connection to her. And when the patient disappears from the unit before Thea can get too close, she makes it her mission to track her down and make sure she is safe. This leads to Thea to a remote retreat in New Mexico that focuses on sexual issues and finding your soul mate.

This was my second book by this author and unfortunately I did not love it. This book was short, but somehow felt so so long. There were so many weird elements to the story that at some points I was having trouble understanding what was real and what was a dream/vision.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to see I received a digital arc for Julia Bartz’s new book. Her debut was great and couldn’t wait till her second. Julia Bartz is an auto-buy author for me. The beginning started off really great and kept you locked in. Towards the second half of the book, it lost its steam a little bit. Still enjoyed the suspense in the first half and will recommend anything Julia Bartz writes. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books!