The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

Happy Wednesday, readers! Today I'm at stop on the Random Things tour for Julia Bartz's The Writing Retreat!

Alex can't believe it when she's accepted as a late addition to the highly exclusive writing retreat being offered by her idol, Roza Vallo. 

Four writers were chosen but when one dropped out, a friend of Alex's sent in one of her stories as a submission. And Alex was accepted! But Alex's ex best friend Wren was accepted as well. And the retreat means a month at Roza's isolated home, the Blackbriar Estate (a home with a very colored history). A month with Roza's almost exclusive attention. But also a month in close quarters with Wren. 

From the start things are very intense. Roza expects the writers to produce an entire book by the end of the retreat—with required daily word counts, critique circles, and one on one meetings with Roza herself. That aside, they do get cocktail and dinner hours with food provided by a private chef. And all in a luxe setting. 

But when a heavy snowstorm hits and one of the girls goes missing, the writers realize their dream retreat is not quite what they'd expected it would be. 

This book was seriously fun! I should add that I probably found it extra fun as someone who works in publishing!

So a chance for four young authors (they're all supposed to be under 30) to spend a month with an acclaimed author they all revere...That's too much for any hopeful to pass on! And yet, someone does pass. Which is why Alex has the opportunity in the first place. 

Unfortunately, she's going to be doing it with a once very close friend who shut her out for very specific reasons. And as the story unfold and those reasons become clear, Alex's discomfort is understandable. 

Except there's much more to it than that! 

There's a cool element concerning the house itself and the story of the previous owners, a wealthy man whose wife was rumored to have made contact with a demon. Both the husband and wife died under mysterious circumstances, and they're the inspiration for Alex's book she'll be writing at the retreat itself. 

All of this sets a nice tone. The addition of a snowstorm cutting the house off completely is one that I particularly enjoy (I like to call them snowed-in thrillers). 

Like I said, I thought this was great fun! Which was awesome because I'd been looking forward to this book as soon as it was announced (Julia Bartz's sister is author Andrea Bartz whose work I also quite enjoy). 

The Writing Retreat is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware. amongst others. And I think writers in the trenches will find much to enjoy as well! Definitely one I recommend to anyone who loves a dark thriller!