Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

111 reviews

_charliesbooks_'s review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As a huge fantasy and litfic reader this book was very out of my remit. And yet I couldn't put it down. It was weird and wonderful and I did not expect a SINGLE plot twist that happened. I loved the discussions on race and sexuality and I ADORED the book about books vibe. I'd definitely read this author again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Drug use, Blood, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Classism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

jessie_eidson's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Antisemitism, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Gun violence

Minor: Vomit, Excrement, Addiction, Alcohol, Abandonment, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders

essentialnpc's review

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Torture, Violence, and Gun violence

tracie_nicole's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Like a lifetime thriller movie, but with Lesbian and queer women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Murder

dilani's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

First strange book of the year. I enjoyed the writing and being able to listen to Alex’s book as it develops. Very OTT in the last few hours. I just wish Roza was dealt with differently 🤷🏽‍♀️. 

Also, as soon the rules of the retreat were explained, I immediately knew what Roza’s true intentions were. Maybe not everything, but I knew….

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, and Drug use

Minor: Child abuse

bookishmillennial's review

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial 

This was a wild ride, but ultimately it made me laugh and I had a good time with these shamelessly messy, unhinged, overly competitive, toxic women 😂 

This felt to me like if June and Athena from Yellowface went to a writing retreat before they both published novels. The angst, jealousy, and obsession with success and notoriety in the publishing industry was so entertaining, and I enjoyed the (extremely toxic but) sapphic denial between Wren and Alex, former friends who are now writing rivals. 

Roza, the successful horror novelist that hosts this writing retreat, was every bit conniving, pretentious, and mischievous that you would imagine a renowned literary genius would be. She ate up the groveling of the five women who aspired to achieve even an ounce of the success she found, and she knew what she was doing in every single moment. The way that she revealed it would be a competition among the five attendees had me howling; I was like THIS IS ABOUT TO BE MAYHEM 🫣 

I thought this was a fun novel because it provided a sinister but goofy enough commentary on the life of a writer, and how far someone would go to ensure a global bestseller! It brings you into the darkest, greediest, most menacing thoughts of someone who eats, lives, and breathes writing and wants so desperately to be recognized for their work. This book made me happy to be a reader and not a writer 😂

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Murder, Homophobia, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship

nhayes21's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, and Gun violence

tabookish's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Vomit, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Excrement

lauren_shilling's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I enjoyed this book a lot! I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because the reviews are very mixed, and I definitely see why some people really do not like it, but I personally had so much fun with it! This story focuses on toxic female friendships and also has LGBTQ+ themes that I enjoyed. It really delves into how women, and queer women in particular, have the capability to be dark, vengeful, and also strong. The first half is really good at creating tension and the atmosphere is incredible, and I think a lot of people will enjoy that part. The second part might lose people, because it does get a little crazy and wild, but it worked for me. My ability to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy something is very strong, and my limits are definitely looser than some people's (not saying it's a bad thing to not have loose limits, it's all about preferences. Mine just happen to be very loose). The characters weren't lovable, but they weren't necessarily unlovable either. The main character is a great example of this, because she's not necessarily a likable protagonist, but she is one that you will definitely root for. The same goes for one of the other characters, Wren. She's a terrible person, but by the end, I absolutely wanted to see her survive and go on with her life. I love reading about characters like that. It's so much fun to root for a character, even if you don't entirely like them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, Toxic friendship, Death, Gun violence, Confinement, and Drug use

Moderate: Blood and Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury

charrrchar's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Confinement, Gun violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Gore, Violence, and Vomit