Review: The Last Session - Julia Bartz

Review: The Last Session - Julia Bartz - April 2025

Oh, how I wanted to love this one! After absolutely devouring Julia Bartz's The Writing Retreat (a solid 5-star read for me), I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into The Last Session. The premise had everything I adore—amnesia, a celebrity lookalike who could be our protagonist's twin, shared secrets between strangers. I settled in with my favorite reading blanket, fully expecting to be swept away.

The opening chapters didn't disappoint. The mental institution setting was atmospheric and gripping, pulling me right into Thea's unsettling world. But then our two main characters left those walls, and something shifted. The story took a turn that I can only describe as... odd. I found myself rereading passages, trying to piece together what was happening, feeling a bit lost in the narrative fog.

We follow Thea as she trails clues to a remote center tucked away in Southwestern New Mexico, where a charismatic couple runs controversial monthly retreats designed to excavate attendees' deepest romantic and sexual hang-ups. As Thea is pushed into increasingly intimate exercises (some of which made me squirm in my reading chair), she inches closer to finding her missing patient Catherine—and possibly uncovering the truth about her own traumatic past. The clock is ticking, though, and staying for that final session might cost Thea her sanity... or her life.

The book weaves in themes of past lives and includes deep dives into cult journalism, which should have been right up my alley. But somehow, it all felt a bit disconnected, like puzzle pieces from different boxes forced together. The magic that made The Writing Retreat so unputdownable just wasn't quite there for me this time.

It's always bittersweet when a beloved author's next book doesn't quite hit the mark, isn't it? Like when your favorite comfort meal comes out slightly off. Still worth reading if you're a Julia Bartz fan or drawn to psychological thrillers with unconventional premises—just perhaps adjust your expectations.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4oaycXS