The Writing Retreat
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
This is a perfect read when you are wanting something creepy, calculated and clever. The Writing Retread is a delicious and disturbing twisted story about a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our protagonist Alex is attending a month-long writing retreat. Alex is an aspiring writer and associate editor in a publishing company. Alex has been suffering from writers block for a year after a series of events ends her longtime friendship with Wren. The writing retreat is being held at the famous horror author, Roza Vallo’s home, Blackbriar Estate in the Adirondacks. Among the four other aspiring writers is Wren, Alex’s former best friend with whom her problems remain unresolved. However, this is not an opportunity to be missed and Alex is thrilled to be attending and unwilling to let Wren’s presence ruin this experience for her.
Roza has the aspiring writers on a rigorous schedule. Expecting them to have written a full- length novel by the end of the month. Rosa is motivating them with a lucrative publishing deal for the “winner”. With her struggles with writer's block, escalated tensions with Wren, it has been hard for Alex to keep up. Roza’s unorthodox methods of running her retreat, the isolated location and eerie occurrences in the house. Blackbriar Estates has an unnerving history surrounding its original owners. What follows is a thrilling ride with secrets, lies, manipulation and hidden agendas that has the group wavering between sticking together and suspicion directed toward each other and mentor Roza. The question that is being asked is, how far would each of them go to fulfill their dreams and at what cost.
With its atmospheric, isolated setting with Gothic vibes, complicated characters, consistent pacing and complex plot. This dark and suspenseful psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page.
I absolutely devoured this story. This is the kind of book that you would want to finish in one sitting! Overall, The Writing Retreat is an impressive debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future.
