Reviews tagging 'Outing'

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

7 reviews

whimsykat's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, and Confinement

Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Bullying, Rape, Outing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Racism, and Infidelity

kyanitecourage's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Vomit

Moderate: Cursing, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Outing, and Excrement

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Outing, Drug use, Sexual content, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Abandonment, Confinement, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Suicide, Vomit, Racism, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Pedophilia

araowl's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Gun violence, Outing, Gaslighting, Excrement, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Child abuse

ecn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I can definitely say this book got me out of a reading slump!

It’s a thriller so the writing isn’t as flowery/deep as I usually like to read, but this one was still 😘👌🏻 chefs kiss

There were so many twists and so many different factors that actually kept me entertained and hooked into what would happen. So aspects were predictable (how different can you possibly make a thriller?) but still fun to watch it play out and keep guessing

I’m a HUGE sucker for anything involving writers retreats/trapped bc of a blizzard/mirrored symbols/suspense/paranormal and this one had almost all of that!

Perfect amazing brilliant choice for either a cabin retreat (duh) OR a beach read imo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Alcohol, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Drug use, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Outing, Racism, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Body horror, and Lesbophobia

yuyuv's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Medical content, Outing, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

soobooksalot's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Wintery locked-room mystery with a writer's theme? Obviously I had to have this book.
 The Writing Retreat is a most claustrophobic thriller, with an eccentric author's stately mansion known as Blackbriar as the backdrop.
 Envision touches of Clue and The Shining in this story.
 A group of up-and-coming writers have been invited to a month-long writing retreat at the home of famed author Roza Vallo. 
 It's not long before things start coming off the rails for the five women; a snowstorm and lack of cell service ensures they can't leave.
 There were some great elements in this debut novel from Julia Bartz, it's definitely one that was hard to put down. The pacing went a little off at times for me, but overall it was a tense, atmospheric and entertaining read.
 Recommended!
 For release on Feb. 21.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Sexual content, Outing, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Gun violence