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The Retreat
Sherri Smith illuminates the dark side of the self-care and wellness industry in a thrilling ride of revenge perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers. The Retreat is a twisting, bone-chilling suspense that asks: how well do you really know your friends?
Four women.
Four secrets.
A weekend that will change them forever...if they survive.
Katie Manning was a beloved child star until her mid-teens when her manager attacked and permanently scarred her face, effectively ending her career and sending her on a path of all-too-familiar post-Hollywood self-destruction.
Now twenty-seven, Katie wants a better answer to those clickbait "Where Are They Now?" articles that float around online. An answer she hopes to find when her brother's too-good-to-be-true fiancé invites her to a wellness retreat upstate. Together with Katie's two best friends--one struggling with crippling debt and family obligations, one running away from a failed job and relationship--Katie will try to find the inner peace promised at the tranquil retreat. But finding oneself just might drudge up more memories than Katie is prepared to deal with.
Each woman has come to the retreat for different reasons. Each has her secrets to hide. And at the end of this weekend, only one will be left standing.
Four women.
Four secrets.
A weekend that will change them forever...if they survive.
Katie Manning was a beloved child star until her mid-teens when her manager attacked and permanently scarred her face, effectively ending her career and sending her on a path of all-too-familiar post-Hollywood self-destruction.
Now twenty-seven, Katie wants a better answer to those clickbait "Where Are They Now?" articles that float around online. An answer she hopes to find when her brother's too-good-to-be-true fiancé invites her to a wellness retreat upstate. Together with Katie's two best friends--one struggling with crippling debt and family obligations, one running away from a failed job and relationship--Katie will try to find the inner peace promised at the tranquil retreat. But finding oneself just might drudge up more memories than Katie is prepared to deal with.
Each woman has come to the retreat for different reasons. Each has her secrets to hide. And at the end of this weekend, only one will be left standing.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2019
91 people are currently reading
2073 people want to read
About the author
Sherri Smith
17 books163 followersSherri Smith has previously written two historical fiction novels for Simon & Schuster UK. When not writing she spends time with her family, three rescue dogs and restores vintage furniture that would otherwise be destined for the dump. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada where the long, cold winters nurture her dark side. FOLLOW ME DOWN (Forge Books, March 2017) is her first thriller.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 294 reviews
November 15, 2023
Half a star !!!
Absolute Worst Read of 2019 Award
This review may come across as harsh.
Usually my low star reviews are infused with a bit of humor and mock outrage in order to make the process more palatable. I cannot with this read.
My experience of this book was very poor and most unpleasant. In fact, it is one of the worst experiences of reading that I have ever had.
There are four whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous women. We are given very outlandish and mostly unbelievable reasons why they are this way. These four women do whiny, horrid and horrible things to each other and other women. We are given very outlandish and mostly unbelievable reasons why they do these acts. They go to a retreat. There, they do whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous acts towards each other. But wait, one woman is also a psychopath and murderer.The twists are ridiculous, the psychological explanations flimsy and/or superficial and when people start to die. Oh well !
The last third of the book has some of the most gratuitous violence that I have read. Made no sense and for some readers may be triggering. Very important concerns such as substance misuse, personality disorders and dissociation are treated superficially and are there to either push the plot along or as accusations and judgements that these characters hurled at each other.
Please remember that a psychological thriller must have the following for this reader: psychological congruence , psychological depth, believable twists and turns and plausible motivations for intrapersonal desicions and interpersonal actions.
This book had none of the above. To make matters worse, this book lacked artistry, authenticity and any entertainment value.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to post my honest opinion of this ebook that they provided to me.
Absolute Worst Read of 2019 Award
This review may come across as harsh.
Usually my low star reviews are infused with a bit of humor and mock outrage in order to make the process more palatable. I cannot with this read.
My experience of this book was very poor and most unpleasant. In fact, it is one of the worst experiences of reading that I have ever had.
There are four whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous women. We are given very outlandish and mostly unbelievable reasons why they are this way. These four women do whiny, horrid and horrible things to each other and other women. We are given very outlandish and mostly unbelievable reasons why they do these acts. They go to a retreat. There, they do whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous acts towards each other. But wait, one woman is also a psychopath and murderer.The twists are ridiculous, the psychological explanations flimsy and/or superficial and when people start to die. Oh well !
The last third of the book has some of the most gratuitous violence that I have read. Made no sense and for some readers may be triggering. Very important concerns such as substance misuse, personality disorders and dissociation are treated superficially and are there to either push the plot along or as accusations and judgements that these characters hurled at each other.
Please remember that a psychological thriller must have the following for this reader: psychological congruence , psychological depth, believable twists and turns and plausible motivations for intrapersonal desicions and interpersonal actions.
This book had none of the above. To make matters worse, this book lacked artistry, authenticity and any entertainment value.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to post my honest opinion of this ebook that they provided to me.
November 18, 2019
An interesting and simple premise which centres around four women attending a wellbeing retreat, in hoping for a relaxing tranquil experience only for hidden secrets and death to arise.
I wanted something quick and easy to read and this certainly delivered that, whilst the narrative is told through the four POV’s it was the main protagonist Katie Manning’s storyline that really held my attention.
Quite simply her name was too similar to former Doctor Who companion Katy Manning that I inevitably kept picturing the British actress in this story, I wondered if this was deliberate as surly authors check to see if character names match real life celebrities?!?
The Katie in this book was a former child star in the hit detective show Shelby Space, now in her mid-twenties and washed up jumps at the chance to spend the weekend away with her brothers fiancée Ellie.
Especially as a twitter storm has surfaced after an ill judged tweet, with friends Ariel and Carmen also being invited along.
The setting was great and seeing each member of the group adjusting to the rules of the camp help set the tone of the place.
I found both the Ariel and Carmen sections to be a little dull and was quite keen to get back to the Katie chapters.
Whilst it’s pretty obvious what’s happening throughout the story it’s fun to see all the clues fall into place during a strong conclusion.
I wanted something quick and easy to read and this certainly delivered that, whilst the narrative is told through the four POV’s it was the main protagonist Katie Manning’s storyline that really held my attention.
Quite simply her name was too similar to former Doctor Who companion Katy Manning that I inevitably kept picturing the British actress in this story, I wondered if this was deliberate as surly authors check to see if character names match real life celebrities?!?
The Katie in this book was a former child star in the hit detective show Shelby Space, now in her mid-twenties and washed up jumps at the chance to spend the weekend away with her brothers fiancée Ellie.
Especially as a twitter storm has surfaced after an ill judged tweet, with friends Ariel and Carmen also being invited along.
The setting was great and seeing each member of the group adjusting to the rules of the camp help set the tone of the place.
I found both the Ariel and Carmen sections to be a little dull and was quite keen to get back to the Katie chapters.
Whilst it’s pretty obvious what’s happening throughout the story it’s fun to see all the clues fall into place during a strong conclusion.
July 10, 2019
The Retreat, a mystery thriller, was a solid 4 stars.
The Retreat centers around four women- Katie, Carmen, Ellie, and Ariel, that attend a weekend wellness retreat. Each of these women live vastly different lives and each have secrets that they don’t want to get out.
I found The Retreat to be one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year-I found the characters were well-developed (though not particularly likable) and the ending was phenomenal, never saw it coming! Highly recommended to fans of mystery thriller books. Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Retreat centers around four women- Katie, Carmen, Ellie, and Ariel, that attend a weekend wellness retreat. Each of these women live vastly different lives and each have secrets that they don’t want to get out.
I found The Retreat to be one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year-I found the characters were well-developed (though not particularly likable) and the ending was phenomenal, never saw it coming! Highly recommended to fans of mystery thriller books. Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2019
Thanks to Chelsea for recommending this book to me! Special thanks also to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me this novel in exchange for an honest review.
“The Retreat” is yet another holistic-health-retreat book (think Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers), with a dark and suspenseful twist.
Katie is a former child star, surviving on her dwindling childhood earnings and trying to find herself after the fame of her youth. At the insistence of her brother, she decides to get to know her brother’s fiancée by inviting her on a health and wellness retreat (and getting a little rejuvenation herself while she’s at it!), along with her two long-time friends. Although the retre¬at is a little out there, with ayahuasca tea and group meditations, each woman is hoping to gain something from their time away. Soon things turn from good to very, very bad when a fellow participant turns up dead. Quickly, everyone is pointing fingers at each other and soon enough, they are all just trying to make it out alive.
Sherri Smith is a new author to me, although evidently she has published two previous novels, and even lives in the same country as I do. All that aside, I am grateful for this introduction!
I did not know what to expect going in, and I was not exactly excited about yet another, tired, wellness retreat novel. This one, however, was far different than I expected. Full of dark, twisty characters and even darker and twistier plots, “The Retreat” is something delightfully unexpected. A true whodunit, the mystery is not revealed until the very end, but each character has the potential to be our culprit.
Each character has a likable part of them, but an equally unlikable part too, which adds a nice realistic element and has you both hoping for their success, and hoping for their failures, in equal parts.
Well told and taut, “The Retreat” builds well, and keeps you entertained and engaged from page one. Although the ending is definitely unpredictable, it also teeters on the edge of unbelievable. There are several components that seem just a bit far-fetched and unrealistic, but not too far off from reality that it is not enjoyable. The ending serves to tie up the novel in a satisfying way, and there are no unanswered questions, which is always a plus in my book.
A thoroughly entertaining novel I am grateful to Chelsea for introducing this to me! I don’t think I would have tried it on my own—and now I have a new author to enjoy!
“The Retreat” is yet another holistic-health-retreat book (think Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers), with a dark and suspenseful twist.
Katie is a former child star, surviving on her dwindling childhood earnings and trying to find herself after the fame of her youth. At the insistence of her brother, she decides to get to know her brother’s fiancée by inviting her on a health and wellness retreat (and getting a little rejuvenation herself while she’s at it!), along with her two long-time friends. Although the retre¬at is a little out there, with ayahuasca tea and group meditations, each woman is hoping to gain something from their time away. Soon things turn from good to very, very bad when a fellow participant turns up dead. Quickly, everyone is pointing fingers at each other and soon enough, they are all just trying to make it out alive.
Sherri Smith is a new author to me, although evidently she has published two previous novels, and even lives in the same country as I do. All that aside, I am grateful for this introduction!
I did not know what to expect going in, and I was not exactly excited about yet another, tired, wellness retreat novel. This one, however, was far different than I expected. Full of dark, twisty characters and even darker and twistier plots, “The Retreat” is something delightfully unexpected. A true whodunit, the mystery is not revealed until the very end, but each character has the potential to be our culprit.
Each character has a likable part of them, but an equally unlikable part too, which adds a nice realistic element and has you both hoping for their success, and hoping for their failures, in equal parts.
Well told and taut, “The Retreat” builds well, and keeps you entertained and engaged from page one. Although the ending is definitely unpredictable, it also teeters on the edge of unbelievable. There are several components that seem just a bit far-fetched and unrealistic, but not too far off from reality that it is not enjoyable. The ending serves to tie up the novel in a satisfying way, and there are no unanswered questions, which is always a plus in my book.
A thoroughly entertaining novel I am grateful to Chelsea for introducing this to me! I don’t think I would have tried it on my own—and now I have a new author to enjoy!
March 20, 2022
I’m not quite sure why exactly this book is getting so much hate. It’s an adequate thriller that kept me intrigued and guessing who the murderer was until the very end.
The Retreat is aptly named, for the story takes place at a literal ‘retreat’, a spiritual spa and wellness centre deep in the woods of the Catskill Mountains. That’s where former child star Katie invites her friends Carmen and Ariel too. Katie looks forward to finding her inner peace, to finding a solution to her sleepwalking and binge drinking. A weekend spent at the retreat sounds great if it weren't for Ellie, Katie’s brother’s fiancee, the perfect yoga-practising, sugar-free, expensive lifestyle-living, Etsy-selling woman. And even though Katie can’t stand her, she is prepared to endure her presence to ‘heal’.
Each woman comes to the retreat with different intentions in mind but one thing is clear: they are all running from something or someone. Throughout one single weekend, each of their lives begins to unravel and break apart.
The author of this book’s most liked review states that one reason why he’s awarding it one star only is that the characters are “four whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous women [...] who do whiny, horrid and horrible things to each other and other women”. Good Sir, this is a thriller. Have you ever read a thriller which wasn’t made up of unlikable, horrid characters? I’m not quite sure what y’all expect when you pick up a thriller but I’d say that in 99% of all cases, it usually involves characters that are nasty and not very likeable…
For anyone who considers reading this book: yes, the characters are very much unlikeable! But if you want your books to include likeable characters only, don’t read thrillers, okay? You might save yourself a lot of time.
The book alternates between four different POVs. Katie’s, Carmen’s, Ariel’s, and Ellie. I didn’t think they were too different and could have used a more distinctive characteristic voice, but I thought the author managed the transitions between the POVs quite well given that she had a knack for starting a different character’s POV right when it got exciting. Especially towards the last third/ last fourth of the book, it keeps you glued to the page.
I’m not sure whether I would agree with other reviewers in saying that the book was ‘atmospheric’. Even though it was set in the woods it didn’t quite give me the * vibes *.
Considering that the first half of the book felt a bit boring and sluggish (there was trashy sex and melodrama) and that the ending simply wasn’t mind-bending and twisty enough (I always end up comparing books like this to The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle), it was an OK read for me. It kept me entertained for a bit, it didn’t bore me to death, but it wasn’t anything that I would describe as outstanding or never-been-done-before.
The Retreat is aptly named, for the story takes place at a literal ‘retreat’, a spiritual spa and wellness centre deep in the woods of the Catskill Mountains. That’s where former child star Katie invites her friends Carmen and Ariel too. Katie looks forward to finding her inner peace, to finding a solution to her sleepwalking and binge drinking. A weekend spent at the retreat sounds great if it weren't for Ellie, Katie’s brother’s fiancee, the perfect yoga-practising, sugar-free, expensive lifestyle-living, Etsy-selling woman. And even though Katie can’t stand her, she is prepared to endure her presence to ‘heal’.
Each woman comes to the retreat with different intentions in mind but one thing is clear: they are all running from something or someone. Throughout one single weekend, each of their lives begins to unravel and break apart.
The author of this book’s most liked review states that one reason why he’s awarding it one star only is that the characters are “four whiny, horrid, unlikable and duplicitous women [...] who do whiny, horrid and horrible things to each other and other women”. Good Sir, this is a thriller. Have you ever read a thriller which wasn’t made up of unlikable, horrid characters? I’m not quite sure what y’all expect when you pick up a thriller but I’d say that in 99% of all cases, it usually involves characters that are nasty and not very likeable…
For anyone who considers reading this book: yes, the characters are very much unlikeable! But if you want your books to include likeable characters only, don’t read thrillers, okay? You might save yourself a lot of time.
The book alternates between four different POVs. Katie’s, Carmen’s, Ariel’s, and Ellie. I didn’t think they were too different and could have used a more distinctive characteristic voice, but I thought the author managed the transitions between the POVs quite well given that she had a knack for starting a different character’s POV right when it got exciting. Especially towards the last third/ last fourth of the book, it keeps you glued to the page.
I’m not sure whether I would agree with other reviewers in saying that the book was ‘atmospheric’. Even though it was set in the woods it didn’t quite give me the * vibes *.
Considering that the first half of the book felt a bit boring and sluggish (there was trashy sex and melodrama) and that the ending simply wasn’t mind-bending and twisty enough (I always end up comparing books like this to The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle), it was an OK read for me. It kept me entertained for a bit, it didn’t bore me to death, but it wasn’t anything that I would describe as outstanding or never-been-done-before.
April 4, 2024
It is difficult to write this review without giving spoilers away, but I shall try :) I give this one 4* out of 5*. Actually 4.5* :)
First of all we have got Katie. She is an ex-child actress, whose career ended when she was young, due to a tragic incident causing facial disfigurement. She riding on the somewhat waning fame of that early success, but finds herself a bit lost in the world. She's currently living with her brother, or should I say, he is living with her. He looks out for her and keeps her safe, deals with all her problems etc. Unfortunately for Katie, her bro has a fiance called Ellie - who Katie is not so fond of. She's the typical English rose - all sweet, and annoying, and floaty and happy. Katie instantly dislikes her.
Well, what better way to bond than to go away to a holistic retreat together - that's what I'd do! Off Katie and Ellie go, with a couple of Katie's college friends along for the ride too. What happens next is where it gets interesting......
There's a bloody knife. There's a body. There's a hallucinogenic tea. There's a weird group of Retreat members. And there's, of course, Katie's number fan/stalker thrown into the mix.
I enjoyed reading this so much. The characters are ALL flawed - I don't think I liked any one of them especially. But I was intrigued by most of them and needed to know what was going to happen to them. There are a lot of twists and turns and the story kept me hooked from start to finish. Although I read this in chunks, rather than in one go, I didn't want to put it down. Very well done on that front. I read the end 40% or so in one go and it was EXHAUSTING! It all happens, it's unexpected, twisted and oh so fun.
I hear you asking, why would you not have given this book a full 5* - are you mad??? Well let me tell you. I love this book, it was tense, angsty, it made me anxious and wanting to read further. BUT, I have read Sherri's previous book and I (unfairly?) compared it to that the whole way through. I LOVED 'Follow me down', I read it twice in a year I think. And I love Sherri, she's great - funny, endearing. So, 4.5* is a fair reflection of my views on this one.
Thank you NetGalley and Sherri for an early copy of this one.
First of all we have got Katie. She is an ex-child actress, whose career ended when she was young, due to a tragic incident causing facial disfigurement. She riding on the somewhat waning fame of that early success, but finds herself a bit lost in the world. She's currently living with her brother, or should I say, he is living with her. He looks out for her and keeps her safe, deals with all her problems etc. Unfortunately for Katie, her bro has a fiance called Ellie - who Katie is not so fond of. She's the typical English rose - all sweet, and annoying, and floaty and happy. Katie instantly dislikes her.
Well, what better way to bond than to go away to a holistic retreat together - that's what I'd do! Off Katie and Ellie go, with a couple of Katie's college friends along for the ride too. What happens next is where it gets interesting......
There's a bloody knife. There's a body. There's a hallucinogenic tea. There's a weird group of Retreat members. And there's, of course, Katie's number fan/stalker thrown into the mix.
I enjoyed reading this so much. The characters are ALL flawed - I don't think I liked any one of them especially. But I was intrigued by most of them and needed to know what was going to happen to them. There are a lot of twists and turns and the story kept me hooked from start to finish. Although I read this in chunks, rather than in one go, I didn't want to put it down. Very well done on that front. I read the end 40% or so in one go and it was EXHAUSTING! It all happens, it's unexpected, twisted and oh so fun.
I hear you asking, why would you not have given this book a full 5* - are you mad??? Well let me tell you. I love this book, it was tense, angsty, it made me anxious and wanting to read further. BUT, I have read Sherri's previous book and I (unfairly?) compared it to that the whole way through. I LOVED 'Follow me down', I read it twice in a year I think. And I love Sherri, she's great - funny, endearing. So, 4.5* is a fair reflection of my views on this one.
Thank you NetGalley and Sherri for an early copy of this one.
August 12, 2019
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
I had absolutely no idea what to expect from The Retreat, but I found myself completely absorbed in this tense and gripping tale of secrets and betrayal.
Sherri Smith has created some great characters in Katie, Ariel, Carmen and Ellie and the rest of the cast of people who have gathered at 'the retreat' - each character has their own flaws but also various likable characteristics too. Katie, a has-been (once a child television star), heads to an elusive retreat with her sister-in-law-to-be, Ellie, and invites along a few of her friends, Carmen and Ariel.
What follows is complete craziness - I don't want to give too much away here but the key is just to completely suspend your disbelief and enjoy. I certainly did - I loved the chaos that ensured, with dark secrets and plenty of confusion for both the characters and the reader! You're left wondering exactly who the 'she' is who is mentioned in the very impactful opening pages, and as the novel goes on I thought I had it... not quite!
I loved the 'whodunnit' elements to this story and the shady backstories to some of the characters which only made them the more intriguing. There were also real touches of subtle humour in this novel, with the observations that some of the characters make about themselves and other people proving to be really entertaining - Katie and Ariel particularly.
Is anyone exactly who they appear to be at this retreat? I had a lot of fun finding out!
I had absolutely no idea what to expect from The Retreat, but I found myself completely absorbed in this tense and gripping tale of secrets and betrayal.
Sherri Smith has created some great characters in Katie, Ariel, Carmen and Ellie and the rest of the cast of people who have gathered at 'the retreat' - each character has their own flaws but also various likable characteristics too. Katie, a has-been (once a child television star), heads to an elusive retreat with her sister-in-law-to-be, Ellie, and invites along a few of her friends, Carmen and Ariel.
What follows is complete craziness - I don't want to give too much away here but the key is just to completely suspend your disbelief and enjoy. I certainly did - I loved the chaos that ensured, with dark secrets and plenty of confusion for both the characters and the reader! You're left wondering exactly who the 'she' is who is mentioned in the very impactful opening pages, and as the novel goes on I thought I had it... not quite!
I loved the 'whodunnit' elements to this story and the shady backstories to some of the characters which only made them the more intriguing. There were also real touches of subtle humour in this novel, with the observations that some of the characters make about themselves and other people proving to be really entertaining - Katie and Ariel particularly.
Is anyone exactly who they appear to be at this retreat? I had a lot of fun finding out!
September 11, 2019
I love a good group vacation to a remote location, gone way wrong with bodies stacking up, so this had me from the summary. This also appealed to me because I have been in a book slump and thought a good psychological suspense story could shake me out of it. I didn't find it terribly suspenseful after meeting all our narrators but this still did the trick.
I very much liked Smith's turn of phrase & I truly laughed out loud as I read. Biting, wry wit goes a good way with me, so that was to the good. To the not so great, I figured out early on who was our in-house friend with murderous intent. That's not a deal-breaker for me but the journey to the reveal needs to be interesting enough for such an early telegraph and here, sadly, it wasn't. Also, I never quite cared about the characters (Katie, the ageing & aimless former childhood star; Ellie, the ultra perfect fiancee to Katie's brother, Carmen: the college friend always so financially strapped she routinely sells her eggs and Ariel, the college friend whose life back in her hometown has gone from disappointing to criminal). I didn't hate them or love them and didn't feel much for any of their plights (though I found Ariel's story, the most interesting of the four). They were given things that should have made me feel for them but something was missing for me and their non-self-inflicted problems were a bit too heavy-handed and coercive for sympathy, for this reader.
A couple of my favourite passages:
"Seriously, how can pancakes be gluten-free? It's like taking water out of clouds."
"She missed their little threesome. She missed college when they were still sky-high on their potential. ON their special-ness. When they had yet to open that first nesting doll of adult disappointment and failure."
I'd definitely read another by Smith and this is a good debut. And I'll forever be grateful for this breaking my slump. I am restored.
I very much liked Smith's turn of phrase & I truly laughed out loud as I read. Biting, wry wit goes a good way with me, so that was to the good. To the not so great, I figured out early on who was our in-house friend with murderous intent. That's not a deal-breaker for me but the journey to the reveal needs to be interesting enough for such an early telegraph and here, sadly, it wasn't. Also, I never quite cared about the characters (Katie, the ageing & aimless former childhood star; Ellie, the ultra perfect fiancee to Katie's brother, Carmen: the college friend always so financially strapped she routinely sells her eggs and Ariel, the college friend whose life back in her hometown has gone from disappointing to criminal). I didn't hate them or love them and didn't feel much for any of their plights (though I found Ariel's story, the most interesting of the four). They were given things that should have made me feel for them but something was missing for me and their non-self-inflicted problems were a bit too heavy-handed and coercive for sympathy, for this reader.
A couple of my favourite passages:
"Seriously, how can pancakes be gluten-free? It's like taking water out of clouds."
"She missed their little threesome. She missed college when they were still sky-high on their potential. ON their special-ness. When they had yet to open that first nesting doll of adult disappointment and failure."
I'd definitely read another by Smith and this is a good debut. And I'll forever be grateful for this breaking my slump. I am restored.
August 9, 2019
Although the premise was intriguing, this thriller just didn't...well, thrill! Characters I couldn't connect with, plot that seemed to drag, interspersed with bits of rather trashy sex and other risky behavior--on a 3-day weekend retreat! Quite a suspenseful ending rescued it from 2 star range and tied it back to the horror of the first chapter but with some nice twists.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Recommend for a quick beach read.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Recommend for a quick beach read.
February 16, 2020
Holy cow! This book was
dark
.
In a similar fashion to Nine Perfect Strangers, our characters, Katie Manning, former child star, her three besties, and her future sister-in-law, gather for a life-changing weekend with a promise that Ayahuasca tea will change their lives forever.
None of the characters are particularly likable. If that's a deal-breaker for you, then this story may not be your favorite. This book is not here to please you with characters who you may empathize with. They're really a bunch of nasty wenches, to be honest.
The book is split into three different parts (one per each day at the retreat), and the chapters are shared under the different POV of the four women (Katie, Ellie, April, and Carmen). They all seem a bit shallow, a bit cartoonish, cliched. Some of them will remain that way through the book, but Katie doesn't. As the chapters go by, her story unfolds and her character takes shape. Things begin to take a dark side. It's hard to process the seriousness of the story due to Sherri Smith's witty and humorous writing. Like Moriarty, she is good at throwing humor even in the darkest places.
There is a whodunit theme in the book that may distract you from the real issues each of the characters is going through. I felt that was the biggest red herring in the book. One spends so much time focusing on confirming who the killer is, that all the deep dark stuff suddenly sneaks on you.
I am super late in providing my honest review. I kindly received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and failed to post it on time. However...if you are just now coming across to this book and unlikable characters don't bother you...I say, give it a shot!
Warning! There are plenty of disturbing themes in the book. Rape, child, and drug abuse to mention a few. Proceed with caution.
In a similar fashion to Nine Perfect Strangers, our characters, Katie Manning, former child star, her three besties, and her future sister-in-law, gather for a life-changing weekend with a promise that Ayahuasca tea will change their lives forever.
None of the characters are particularly likable. If that's a deal-breaker for you, then this story may not be your favorite. This book is not here to please you with characters who you may empathize with. They're really a bunch of nasty wenches, to be honest.
The book is split into three different parts (one per each day at the retreat), and the chapters are shared under the different POV of the four women (Katie, Ellie, April, and Carmen). They all seem a bit shallow, a bit cartoonish, cliched. Some of them will remain that way through the book, but Katie doesn't. As the chapters go by, her story unfolds and her character takes shape. Things begin to take a dark side. It's hard to process the seriousness of the story due to Sherri Smith's witty and humorous writing. Like Moriarty, she is good at throwing humor even in the darkest places.
There is a whodunit theme in the book that may distract you from the real issues each of the characters is going through. I felt that was the biggest red herring in the book. One spends so much time focusing on confirming who the killer is, that all the deep dark stuff suddenly sneaks on you.
I am super late in providing my honest review. I kindly received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and failed to post it on time. However...if you are just now coming across to this book and unlikable characters don't bother you...I say, give it a shot!
Warning! There are plenty of disturbing themes in the book. Rape, child, and drug abuse to mention a few. Proceed with caution.
August 17, 2019
This is the story of four dysfunctional women carrying some heavy baggage as they join together for a weekend retreat. This will be a life-altering experience. Unfortunately, the retreat seemed more like a week to me. A cauldron of stirred up secrets that become repetitive, the story losing momentum midway.
Katie is an aging child actor who is introduced as an alcohol-loving mean girl, Carmen, an anxiety-ridden, thief, gullible, obsessive Arial, and Ellie, a supermodel type, the outsider of the bunch rounds out the group and is someone who initially I could sympathize with. As time went on though, I lost any connection with her and the others. I really tried but I just didn’t care. Too many dark characters with few redeeming qualities. The pinnacle event of drinking a hallucinogenic tea at the end of the weekend was played up but when it actually happened, meh.
Katie is an aging child actor who is introduced as an alcohol-loving mean girl, Carmen, an anxiety-ridden, thief, gullible, obsessive Arial, and Ellie, a supermodel type, the outsider of the bunch rounds out the group and is someone who initially I could sympathize with. As time went on though, I lost any connection with her and the others. I really tried but I just didn’t care. Too many dark characters with few redeeming qualities. The pinnacle event of drinking a hallucinogenic tea at the end of the weekend was played up but when it actually happened, meh.
August 7, 2019
** 2 Stars **
Publication Date: August 13, 2019
Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. Being portrayed as a mystery type thriller, I just didn't connect. The Retreat begins with four women who attend a wellness retreat for the weekend. There was a lot of drama and secrets but I just didn't find any of characters likable. I lost interested pretty early on and couldn't hook myself in therefore this was a struggle for me to finish. Seems that I have an unpopular opinion when reading other reviews. Having said that, I did enjoy Sherri Smith's writing style and would consider reading another story by her in the future.
Special Thanks to NetGalley and Forge for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: August 13, 2019
Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. Being portrayed as a mystery type thriller, I just didn't connect. The Retreat begins with four women who attend a wellness retreat for the weekend. There was a lot of drama and secrets but I just didn't find any of characters likable. I lost interested pretty early on and couldn't hook myself in therefore this was a struggle for me to finish. Seems that I have an unpopular opinion when reading other reviews. Having said that, I did enjoy Sherri Smith's writing style and would consider reading another story by her in the future.
Special Thanks to NetGalley and Forge for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2018
It was one of the best books I've read, the story was gripping, the ending was unpredictable and the whole plot was original.
August 13, 2019
"This place made a killer out of me."
The Retreat is a dark and twisted tale of secrets, lies, hate, revenge and murder. It starts with a chilling prologue that had me immediately hooked.
Former child star Katie Manning has been wandering aimlessly through life ever since her T.V show ended over a decade ago. Her recent planned comeback has been scrapped afer she drunkenly wrote a homophobic tweet, leaving her with no idea what to do next. Her brother Nate encourages her to go on a wellness retreat with his fiancee Ellie to see if she can find focus in life and heal her demons. It's the last thing she wants to do, particularly with someone she can't stand, but she agrees for her brother and secretly invites her two best friends, Ariel and Carmen, along with them. We soon discover that each of them have things they're hiding from the others and things that they're running from.
When they arrive at the retreat they're greeted by the owners, Naomi and Dr. Dave. The couple look like strange cult members, insist everyone give up their phones and declare that everyone can become a new person in one weekend if they follow their instructions. Ellie seems excited, while the other girls are skeptical and disappointed; this isn't the spa like sanctuary they thought they signed up for. As the weekend progresses it's clear that none of them will leave the retreat the same person. If they leave at all...
I really enjoyed this novel. It was atmospheric and the opening chapter gave the book as sense of foreboding that made me excited for what was coming.
The four girls each narrate the story offering a great insight into their experience and different perspectives on the retreat. I liked that each of them were multilayered and had depth. Katie and Ellie were the hardest to like but were fun to read. Katie was the perfect spoiled, out of touch Hollywood brat but I did feel for her being made to be the family breadwinner at such a young age and how she didn't have parents who cared past the money she made. Her only parental figure was her manager who betrayed her and disfigured her in an attack that essentially ended her career at just 15. She's a lost soul and I really wanted her to find meaning in life beyond money and her former career and feel able to just be herself instead of the former child star. My heart broke for her as she started to remember things she'd long repressed and I understood why she was so messed up. It was a great reminder of that money and fame are far from a guarantee of a good and happy life. With Ellie I had a radar go off about what her real motivations were in her relationship with Nate from early on. She seemed to be harbouring the biggest secrets and have secret motivations for everything she did. She was also very controlling but battled to contain it in order to keep up her perfect facade.
The girl I probably liked most was Carmen. She was intelligent, level headed and caring, though I felt for what she was going through in having to be the provider and carer for her father and siblings. It's clear she had a bright career ahead of her until life got in the way and the parallels with Katie as the family breadwinner, albeit in a completely different capacity and wage bracket, were interesting. Especially in how it affected their relationship. Lastly there was Ariel. I had a lot of sympathy for her lack of confidence and need to be loved, even if the choices she makes are questionable and she came off desperate a lot of the time. She seemed like a lovely girl underneath it all if only she could finally feel loved and accepted for who she is.
At varying times I suspected three of the four might be the mysterious person in the prologue before settling on who I thought was the one. In the end the identity of the survivor involved many twists and was far more complex than I imagined and I was on tenterhooks as we reached the story’s shocking, macabre and gruesome climax and finally learned the answers to our questions and the identity of the final girl.
Thank you to Titan books for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Retreat is a dark and twisted tale of secrets, lies, hate, revenge and murder. It starts with a chilling prologue that had me immediately hooked.
Former child star Katie Manning has been wandering aimlessly through life ever since her T.V show ended over a decade ago. Her recent planned comeback has been scrapped afer she drunkenly wrote a homophobic tweet, leaving her with no idea what to do next. Her brother Nate encourages her to go on a wellness retreat with his fiancee Ellie to see if she can find focus in life and heal her demons. It's the last thing she wants to do, particularly with someone she can't stand, but she agrees for her brother and secretly invites her two best friends, Ariel and Carmen, along with them. We soon discover that each of them have things they're hiding from the others and things that they're running from.
When they arrive at the retreat they're greeted by the owners, Naomi and Dr. Dave. The couple look like strange cult members, insist everyone give up their phones and declare that everyone can become a new person in one weekend if they follow their instructions. Ellie seems excited, while the other girls are skeptical and disappointed; this isn't the spa like sanctuary they thought they signed up for. As the weekend progresses it's clear that none of them will leave the retreat the same person. If they leave at all...
I really enjoyed this novel. It was atmospheric and the opening chapter gave the book as sense of foreboding that made me excited for what was coming.
The four girls each narrate the story offering a great insight into their experience and different perspectives on the retreat. I liked that each of them were multilayered and had depth. Katie and Ellie were the hardest to like but were fun to read. Katie was the perfect spoiled, out of touch Hollywood brat but I did feel for her being made to be the family breadwinner at such a young age and how she didn't have parents who cared past the money she made. Her only parental figure was her manager who betrayed her and disfigured her in an attack that essentially ended her career at just 15. She's a lost soul and I really wanted her to find meaning in life beyond money and her former career and feel able to just be herself instead of the former child star. My heart broke for her as she started to remember things she'd long repressed and I understood why she was so messed up. It was a great reminder of that money and fame are far from a guarantee of a good and happy life. With Ellie I had a radar go off about what her real motivations were in her relationship with Nate from early on. She seemed to be harbouring the biggest secrets and have secret motivations for everything she did. She was also very controlling but battled to contain it in order to keep up her perfect facade.
The girl I probably liked most was Carmen. She was intelligent, level headed and caring, though I felt for what she was going through in having to be the provider and carer for her father and siblings. It's clear she had a bright career ahead of her until life got in the way and the parallels with Katie as the family breadwinner, albeit in a completely different capacity and wage bracket, were interesting. Especially in how it affected their relationship. Lastly there was Ariel. I had a lot of sympathy for her lack of confidence and need to be loved, even if the choices she makes are questionable and she came off desperate a lot of the time. She seemed like a lovely girl underneath it all if only she could finally feel loved and accepted for who she is.
At varying times I suspected three of the four might be the mysterious person in the prologue before settling on who I thought was the one. In the end the identity of the survivor involved many twists and was far more complex than I imagined and I was on tenterhooks as we reached the story’s shocking, macabre and gruesome climax and finally learned the answers to our questions and the identity of the final girl.
Thank you to Titan books for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2019
Review to follow for the tour.
August 31, 2019
CW: Violence, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, addiction issues, mental health issues.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Titan Books.
When former child actress Katie Manning decides to go on a special retreat with her two college friends and her soon-to-be sister-in-law, she thinks that the weekend is going to be a bit of yoga not taken seriously, and more hiding from her problems. But when Katie wakes up covered in blood and a knife in her bed, and another guest is missing, she begins to have doubts about herself.
This was a nice meaty thriller that I really enjoyed spending some time with. The characters in this book really intrigued me and watching them during the retreat and how they reacted to different situations truly fascinated me. I never really knew what they would do because what they did so was generally quite shocking and there were some wtf moments as well.
I didn't really have a favourite character, they were all fairly awful people, and seemed to be more so as the book went on. I did enjoy getting separate POVs for each character and seeing hw they all thought about each other as well as the story gathered steam.
I will say there were some bits in this thriller that were fairly predictable and I thought the reasoning of the character who was the 'baddie' in the end was a bit weird. But I did enjoy the road to getting there, and I liked that it was a bit dramatic and intense.
The last line in the last chapter of this book would have been a perfect ending. I definitely don't think there was a need for an epilogue with this one.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Titan Books.
When former child actress Katie Manning decides to go on a special retreat with her two college friends and her soon-to-be sister-in-law, she thinks that the weekend is going to be a bit of yoga not taken seriously, and more hiding from her problems. But when Katie wakes up covered in blood and a knife in her bed, and another guest is missing, she begins to have doubts about herself.
This was a nice meaty thriller that I really enjoyed spending some time with. The characters in this book really intrigued me and watching them during the retreat and how they reacted to different situations truly fascinated me. I never really knew what they would do because what they did so was generally quite shocking and there were some wtf moments as well.
I didn't really have a favourite character, they were all fairly awful people, and seemed to be more so as the book went on. I did enjoy getting separate POVs for each character and seeing hw they all thought about each other as well as the story gathered steam.
I will say there were some bits in this thriller that were fairly predictable and I thought the reasoning of the character who was the 'baddie' in the end was a bit weird. But I did enjoy the road to getting there, and I liked that it was a bit dramatic and intense.
The last line in the last chapter of this book would have been a perfect ending. I definitely don't think there was a need for an epilogue with this one.
July 14, 2019
This was really really good and did not go in the direction I was expecting.
This book follows, child star Katie, who after being attacked by her manager and now 27 years old is on the path to post Hollywood destruction. Katie, her brothers fiance, Ellie and Katie's two friends, Ariel and Carmen, go on a luxury retreat weekend, to try and deal with their own problems but only one leaves.
I think this was very well written, very tense and quite pacey.
I liked how there wasn't 100s of characters and you got to read from each of the four ladies perspectives.
The ending did not go where I thought it would go and definitely did not see it coming.
My only complaint was that, some of the chapters felt a little bit too long especially at the start. I think they could have been broken up more. And secondly, it could have been a little bit shorter. The middle did get a bit slow and dragged on a bit.
However, the ending was very fast paced and action filled.
If you like psychological thrillers, with a bunch of characters that you probably won't like, then this will be up your street.
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse and rape
This book follows, child star Katie, who after being attacked by her manager and now 27 years old is on the path to post Hollywood destruction. Katie, her brothers fiance, Ellie and Katie's two friends, Ariel and Carmen, go on a luxury retreat weekend, to try and deal with their own problems but only one leaves.
I think this was very well written, very tense and quite pacey.
I liked how there wasn't 100s of characters and you got to read from each of the four ladies perspectives.
The ending did not go where I thought it would go and definitely did not see it coming.
My only complaint was that, some of the chapters felt a little bit too long especially at the start. I think they could have been broken up more. And secondly, it could have been a little bit shorter. The middle did get a bit slow and dragged on a bit.
However, the ending was very fast paced and action filled.
If you like psychological thrillers, with a bunch of characters that you probably won't like, then this will be up your street.
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse and rape
July 5, 2019
I was kindly sent a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for a honest review.
I very rarely give a book one star however this one did nothing for me what so ever. I was quite intrigued by the retreat story line as I’ve read a few other books with that setting and quite enjoyed them. I just felt that this book exhausted the whole retreat storyline it became more about drugs and I didn’t find it very original in the slightest. I also detested every single character and after about 30 % of the way in it became a chore to read.
Overall I wouldn’t recommend it personally however many others would given it’s fairly high ratings. I think I just read that many books I now have highs expectations on writing style, story lines and characterisation.
I very rarely give a book one star however this one did nothing for me what so ever. I was quite intrigued by the retreat story line as I’ve read a few other books with that setting and quite enjoyed them. I just felt that this book exhausted the whole retreat storyline it became more about drugs and I didn’t find it very original in the slightest. I also detested every single character and after about 30 % of the way in it became a chore to read.
Overall I wouldn’t recommend it personally however many others would given it’s fairly high ratings. I think I just read that many books I now have highs expectations on writing style, story lines and characterisation.
June 30, 2019
I’ve been on a real murder mystery kick lately. And this book delivered oh so well. Katie is a former child star whose money is quickly drying up and has been going through a rough patch due to a tasteless tweet she’s made. She decides it’s time to get away to her energy re-aligned and to get her energy re-aligned. Joining her are her two best friends from college, Carmen and Ariel, and her stuffy soon to be sister in law Ellie.
This getaway happens to be at a new age wellness retreat where the uh treatments are waaay out there. The couple running it are in my eyes very peculiar and the guests run from the normal to the what in the hell is going on. Right away we can sense discord amongst the group and when a member ends up missing...the fun begins.
This book had me from the start and was a wild roller coaster until the VERY end. At times it felt a bit campy sort of like an 80s horror movie but you know what it worked and I really enjoyed it. There are some heavy topics at play here but the author conveys the emotion very very well and handles it as sensibly as one can. I was not expecting the ending but I did predict some of the plot but I am a mystery junkie and nothing really shocks me anymore. like I I thoroughly enjoyed this and my only true complaint was that I wish it were longer and we had a bit more of a resolution for some of the other campers at the retreat! When you read it you’ll find out what I mean 😉
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
This getaway happens to be at a new age wellness retreat where the uh treatments are waaay out there. The couple running it are in my eyes very peculiar and the guests run from the normal to the what in the hell is going on. Right away we can sense discord amongst the group and when a member ends up missing...the fun begins.
This book had me from the start and was a wild roller coaster until the VERY end. At times it felt a bit campy sort of like an 80s horror movie but you know what it worked and I really enjoyed it. There are some heavy topics at play here but the author conveys the emotion very very well and handles it as sensibly as one can. I was not expecting the ending but I did predict some of the plot but I am a mystery junkie and nothing really shocks me anymore. like I I thoroughly enjoyed this and my only true complaint was that I wish it were longer and we had a bit more of a resolution for some of the other campers at the retreat! When you read it you’ll find out what I mean 😉
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
February 5, 2020
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shout out to this Winnipeg author...you are twisted and dark and awesome! Definitely a Jennifer Hillier vibe coming out of Manitoba!
PLOT SUMMARY: Former child star Katie is off to a wellness retreat with her soon to be sister in law Ellie. Ellie is hoping to bond with her fiance’s sister, but Katie impedes these plans when she invites her college friends Ariel and Carmen to join them. Off to a precarious start, what else will go wrong this weekend? What secrets will be revealed? And who is the killer and what is their motive?????
PROS: The mood is dark, the commentary is biting, and the characters are unkind - with a side of evil. These four women are completely unlikeable, and yet with only one survivor in the end, I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough to find out who the Queen of Evil really was. This book is super fast paced and after every page I was second guessing my theory. It’s kind of like Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers...only much, much darker.
CONS: This type of book featuring these types of villainous characters - you almost feel as though you need a shower after reading...no warm and fuzzy moments here so make sure you’re ready! I Initially found the format a bit difficult to follow, but once I had the four main characters straight in my head, I grew to enjoy it.
YES or NO: It’s a YES from me - I enjoyed this foray into the dark side, but my next read will be decidedly lighter!!!
4 Stars
Shout out to this Winnipeg author...you are twisted and dark and awesome! Definitely a Jennifer Hillier vibe coming out of Manitoba!
PLOT SUMMARY: Former child star Katie is off to a wellness retreat with her soon to be sister in law Ellie. Ellie is hoping to bond with her fiance’s sister, but Katie impedes these plans when she invites her college friends Ariel and Carmen to join them. Off to a precarious start, what else will go wrong this weekend? What secrets will be revealed? And who is the killer and what is their motive?????
PROS: The mood is dark, the commentary is biting, and the characters are unkind - with a side of evil. These four women are completely unlikeable, and yet with only one survivor in the end, I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough to find out who the Queen of Evil really was. This book is super fast paced and after every page I was second guessing my theory. It’s kind of like Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers...only much, much darker.
CONS: This type of book featuring these types of villainous characters - you almost feel as though you need a shower after reading...no warm and fuzzy moments here so make sure you’re ready! I Initially found the format a bit difficult to follow, but once I had the four main characters straight in my head, I grew to enjoy it.
YES or NO: It’s a YES from me - I enjoyed this foray into the dark side, but my next read will be decidedly lighter!!!
4 Stars
August 16, 2019
I was excited to read a story about a thriller at a wellness retreat. Add to that a former child star, female friendships and suspicious supporting characters, this could have been remarkable but to me it fell short.
I liked the portrayal of friendships, how friends can hide things from each other and how people can grow apart. Katie is an intriguing main character even though she is pretty unreliable and has issues. The book doesn’t shy away from showing how so-called wellness experts exploit vulnerable people into believing (and buying) everything they say.
What I didn’t like was that the villain is obvious from the get-go and I’m not sure if it’s meant to be that way. I sure wasn’t surprised by the reveal! I’m not a fan of the writing which I feel could be tightened up. The clumsy metaphors and strange descriptions of mundane things had me laughing at the wrong places. I also thought there were lots of unanswered questions at the end.
There is plenty of sex and drug scenes, sexual abuse and an animal death so take note if these bother you. I’m glad the book ventures into something different from the usual female-driven thrillers but I couldn’t help wanting more.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
I liked the portrayal of friendships, how friends can hide things from each other and how people can grow apart. Katie is an intriguing main character even though she is pretty unreliable and has issues. The book doesn’t shy away from showing how so-called wellness experts exploit vulnerable people into believing (and buying) everything they say.
What I didn’t like was that the villain is obvious from the get-go and I’m not sure if it’s meant to be that way. I sure wasn’t surprised by the reveal! I’m not a fan of the writing which I feel could be tightened up. The clumsy metaphors and strange descriptions of mundane things had me laughing at the wrong places. I also thought there were lots of unanswered questions at the end.
There is plenty of sex and drug scenes, sexual abuse and an animal death so take note if these bother you. I’m glad the book ventures into something different from the usual female-driven thrillers but I couldn’t help wanting more.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
March 11, 2023
I always find it difficult to write reviews for books I didn’t enjoy as much a I thought I would. This is one of those books, unfortunately. I have to admit, the synopsis made it sound very intriguing, with a great premise. However, it did not deliver in my opinion. It was quite tedious to get through the first third of book — lots of teenage-type drama from 20-something year olds. The plot moved oh so very slowly, too. I soon lost interest in the story, and found myself struggling to get through most of it.
Characters, for the most part, were not very likable, nor relatable. I couldn’t connect with them, as hard as a tried. Certain plot points in the story didn’t really belong, or were forced. And I have to admit that the scene with the deer seemed irrelevant and gratuitous, and was so difficult for me to read.
But…I never want to write a review without touching on some positives of a book. So for this one — the writing, overall, is very good. The POVs of the main characters were constructed well, giving the reader a glimpse into the person’s mind and thoughts. And once the action picked up in the last third of the book, it did improve. But all of this wasn’t enough for me to give a high rating.
Thank you NetGalley, Sherri Smith, and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for gifting me a copy of this book. I appreciate your trusting me with an honest review.
Characters, for the most part, were not very likable, nor relatable. I couldn’t connect with them, as hard as a tried. Certain plot points in the story didn’t really belong, or were forced. And I have to admit that the scene with the deer seemed irrelevant and gratuitous, and was so difficult for me to read.
But…I never want to write a review without touching on some positives of a book. So for this one — the writing, overall, is very good. The POVs of the main characters were constructed well, giving the reader a glimpse into the person’s mind and thoughts. And once the action picked up in the last third of the book, it did improve. But all of this wasn’t enough for me to give a high rating.
Thank you NetGalley, Sherri Smith, and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for gifting me a copy of this book. I appreciate your trusting me with an honest review.
October 10, 2019
From the instant I started reading “The Retreat,” I became ensnared by Sherri Smith’s exhilarating, suspenseful story. It begins with this great line:
“This place had made a killer out of her.”
Katie is a former child actress who yearns for significance as an adult. She gets together with three other women—her future sister-in-law and two friends—for a wellness retreat, hoping to experience a new-age type of cleansing that involves a special tea.
But nothing is what it appears to be.
The characters are beautifully observed, the book is both chilling and witty, and you’re taken on a riveting ride right up to the very end. Highly recommended!
“This place had made a killer out of her.”
Katie is a former child actress who yearns for significance as an adult. She gets together with three other women—her future sister-in-law and two friends—for a wellness retreat, hoping to experience a new-age type of cleansing that involves a special tea.
But nothing is what it appears to be.
The characters are beautifully observed, the book is both chilling and witty, and you’re taken on a riveting ride right up to the very end. Highly recommended!
July 9, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. It was such a wild entertaining ride from beginning to end. I was immediately hooked and there were so many twist and turns I didn’t see coming. I haven’t read anything from this author and certainly won’t be my last. I didn’t really know if I was going to enjoy a book about a retreat but wow it was a lot more than that. It’s a great psychological thriller that deals with four different women. Each women definitely brought an element of surprise to the story. Its original! And it’s a fantastic read! ❣️
July 1, 2019
I am clearly in the minority of goodreads reviewers as at the time I finished this book, it seems to have appealed to a number of people -- but for me this book was just OK. It was easy to read and moved along quickly, but I couldn't really connect with the characters or understand some of their decisions/actions, and it wasn't a book that I was dying to delve into each night. Thank you to the publisher and author for providing an advance copy of the book.
June 2, 2024
I didn’t really feel any connection with the characters and the plot just felt really predictable.
June 29, 2019
Wow! The opening pulls you in directly into the story and gives you such a sense of foreboding that I was so anxious to see what was to come. I quickly became enthralled with the four main characters. Each with their own twisted back story, I still can't decide who ended up shocking me the most. With each character though, I found myself fully invested and could not wait to see how their stories would play out and whose hands their fates would lie in. I loved the writing style and the wildly original plot. This one gave me some serious goosebumps. A truly gripping suspense novel with so many twists and turns your head will spin. I thought I had this one all figured out but this book totally surprised me... Defiantly one of the best of the year in my opinion!
August 15, 2019
Kate Manning is a trouble child star who thinks a wellness retreat, suggested by her brother’s fiancée Ellie, my be just the cure for her car crash of a life. She invites her two best friends, Carmen and Ariel.
When they get there everything quickly turns into a nightmare, until there is only one left standing.
The Retreat is slow burn psychological thriller with a hint of menace and plenty of creepiness running throughout.
Each of the characters were interesting, each with some secret they’re hiding. Ellie seems too perfect, Ariel is running away from something, Kate is in denial about her life and Carmen desperately needs money to help her family survive. None of them are particularly likeable but I think it works well for this story.
Fair warning there is a fair bit of drug use/sexual scenes scattered throughout the novel which I know some readers may not like.
Then there was the ending. I personally didn’t think it was all that surprising which was a shame because the rest of the story was quite gripping.
Overall The Retreat was creepy and compelling psychological thriller that I’d recommend for fans of this genre.
When they get there everything quickly turns into a nightmare, until there is only one left standing.
The Retreat is slow burn psychological thriller with a hint of menace and plenty of creepiness running throughout.
Each of the characters were interesting, each with some secret they’re hiding. Ellie seems too perfect, Ariel is running away from something, Kate is in denial about her life and Carmen desperately needs money to help her family survive. None of them are particularly likeable but I think it works well for this story.
Fair warning there is a fair bit of drug use/sexual scenes scattered throughout the novel which I know some readers may not like.
Then there was the ending. I personally didn’t think it was all that surprising which was a shame because the rest of the story was quite gripping.
Overall The Retreat was creepy and compelling psychological thriller that I’d recommend for fans of this genre.
May 11, 2020
The Retreat by Sherri Smith is a blend of mystery/thriller genres. I like cozy mysteries and this reminded me of those books but with a suspense twist. It was a predictable and easy read to enjoy over a cup of tea. The atmosphere was well done but I absolutely hated the main characters. I found it hard to connect to any of them but then that is not the point or focus of the book. Overall, I found it to be worth reading and I look forward to reading more by this author.
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