The Writing Retreat | part 1

[Lala, owner]

The book is divided into 4 parts, so I figured one discussion thread for each might make sense!

Go ahead and discuss what happened in these first 91 pages and how you feel about them.

Have you enjoyed the set up?
What types of questions do you have so far?
What characters have been introduced and how do you feel about them?

[Stina]

I've enjoyed the set-up, though it's painfully clear that I am not in the target demographic for this book. The opening scene was my idea of hell and made me so glad that book life in Colorado is way more chill. I like that at this point we still don't know how truthful Alex is being with anybody, including herself. And I like the hints that nobody is who or what they seem or claim.

Poppy cracks me up. "It's Scottish. No, wait, it's Irish." It's a freaking flower, Poppy. How do you not know this?

I don't know what to make of Roza and her crew. Roza seems intent on keeping everybody around her off-balance. It will be interesting to see what her motivations are in all this and if she's dangerous or just wacky.

Keira seems like the most straightforward character. Then again, she is the one who sent Alex down the Daphne rabbit-hole. Speaking of which, I'm interested to see if there's a specific reason for the allusions to Rebecca, or if they're just additional Gothic flavor.

As much as I want to like Taylor, I just don't trust her.

Wren is clearly up to something, but it's up in the air right now as to whether she is justified in that. The jacket copy said she plays headgames, but I'm thinking Alex is not innocent of that herself. And where does Ursula fit into all this? Did she somehow arrange this in an attempt to get the two to clear the air? That seems...excessive...and entirely too wholesome for this book.

I'm liking the house's backstory, and I'm really hoping Alex figures it all out. It's deliciously creepy and has so many directions it can go.

What do y'all think about Joe? Is he just the innocent local? Or is he in on the plot?

I will be disappointed if there isn't something sinister going on with the necklaces.

[Morghan]

Does anyone else think it gets a little liberal white woman preachy in parts? It’s like she’ll be like “I’m not gay” but then have to do three paragraphs of “maybe I could be and heteronormative society has beaten the queerness out of me”…and as a queer person I rolled my eyes.
Otherwise, I’m vibing with it so far.

[Emma]

Agree 100% Morghan! That scene when they first get to the house drove me crazy. When they all start sharing pronouns and there was all that commentary on Poppy not being woke enough I rolled my eyes so hard. It feels very “I need everyone to know I’m an ally. Once we got past that scene i willed myself to forget about it and started having fun haha

[Jen]

I’ve definitely enjoyed the setup so far! I’m living for the gothic mansion setting with the dark history.
The main character is interesting. At this point I can’t tell if she’s going to turn out to be the “hero” the way main characters generally are but my suspicion is that she won’t. In fact I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Alex’s storyarch mirrors Daphne’s life. Not literally but you get what I mean, innocent young woman turns into a dark “demon” summoning figure.
At this point I think my biggest question marks are obviously Wren and the other girls, and Roza. When I started I was expecting this to be a ‘Roza luring writers to her mansion to kill and steal ideas cuz her second book was a flop and she figured that was her “one good idea”’, but now I’m thinking not. Big question, is she dangerous or just “eccentric”?
I think the other girls are definitely hiding things and I’m expecting things with Wren and Alex to get more complicated for sure.
I have to agree with you Stina, I think there’s more to the necklaces than meets the eye. Symbolic of all their secrets or personalities or something?
Finally, total agreement that the preachiness was cringe but easy to forget about.

[Len]

I just finished part one and am intrigued!
I feel like not a single character can be trusted right now. Poppy's story doesn't seem so straight, Taylor seems to know Roza and her house suspiciously well... I think Jen is right - they're all hiding something.

Oh, and who doesn't read an NDA before signing it? I hope this isn't foresahdowing.

[Stavroula]

I found the first part very interesting and intriguing. I like the excluded, gothic mansion where everyone, including Alex, seems suspicious and not to be trusted.
I'm curious to see if and how Daphne's story has any connection with the main story in the present time. Is the house really haunted?
I guess we'll have to see...

[D]

I enjoyed the story so far. I'm intrigued by the meta writing storyline, and I like the queer aspect. But as some of you said, the pronounce scene felt forced. The creepiness level at this point is OK for me though I hope it doesn't get any scarier as I'm sensitive. I'd say the book is sitting around 4 stars for me so far.

[Teresa]

I have been enjoying this book so far, although it took me a while to get into.

I love a closed circle mystery, so I really liked the setup and have enjoyed hearing about the characters interactions so far. Some of the characters are more suspicious than others. I’m curious about what’s going on in Wren and Roza’s heads. I feel like they are both hiding things…and maybe not being truthful with themselves and/or others.

I want to know more about Daphne and Roza’s complete backstories. Poppy has been a fun character to read about, although she seems ditzy to me. I’m guessing she will be the first one to “go missing”, but who knows…

[Dina]

If I have been tricked into reading paranormal again I swear

No one is very likeable so far. Maybe likeable is the wrong word, I don't need to LIKE like a character, but I want to be... let's say interested in their survival.

All of the writer group feel a bit off, like they're lying about small details, or are we just meant to stay on edge about them? Roza is awful. I think I would have left the second morning. My biggest question is who did Roza have sex with? I think Yana. Or Daphne's ghost.

Also, listing your entire ancestry within 4 seconds of being introduced to someone is such an American thing lol.

I didn't read the blurb again before starting the book and mixed it up with a different book, in which a woman goes to a spooky house assuming she'll write a book with someone only to find out the person has died and she has to ghostwrite the book for them. Imagine my surprise when Roza turned up alive at the dinner table.

[Leigh]

I’m not sure where this book is heading towards but all I know is I don’t really care for any of the characters, haha! Roza seems like an awful lady and everyone just seems to be hiding everything from everyone. Also Alex is not giving me anything to connect with and I want to like her so much, so right now I don’t know if I care if anyone survives. Guess we will see how the story continues. lol

[Lili]

Fuck her!
So that opening had me intrigued. Lol.
A few lines that stood out to me…
Both in chapter 4
“…and if I in a pocket of “insert personal idol here” however small, I sensed it would booster my own existence “

I also found the line,”…glimpse into the life and mind of the person who’s been whispering into your brain for the last ten hours…” fascinating.

Joe definitely knows something, I mean he did say, “You two be careful, okay?” Gave me an uneasy feeling.

The “retreat” has sone pretty stringent guidelines, the Hunger Games for writers? I’m excited to see if the demon Lamia or Daphne is going to become a bigger part of the story.

Excited to delve into Part 2 “The Estate”

[Amanda]

For those listening to audiobook, part two starts at 31% (when listening at 1.0 speed).

I love the setup. I don't like Alex, but that's okay. I don't need to like the characters to enjoy their part in the story. There are a few things she's done that are not logical. I don't know if that's a part of her personality or a lack of logic in the writing. For example, why did she tell the other guests all about her and Wren right when she met them? Who would do that? And then telling Roza the truth when she hadn't told anyone else in her life? It doesn't feel realistic to me.

I love the premise though. It's taking a book-within-a-book to a new level because we have five books within a book. I hope we get to hear more about their stories. This writing retreat is NaNoWriMo to the extreme. Love the setting and I can't wait to learn more about Black Briar.

Not sure how to spell names as I'm listening to the audiobook. Wren is not who she appears to be at all, I'm so intrigued by her and hope to learn more about her background. Kira is probably my favourite. She's smart, and kind. Taylor and Poppy are annoying, and Poppy is hiding something. She's lied a few times I think.

I have a theory about Roza, but I won't share it in this first section, just in case I'm right.

I want to know more about Black Briar Spiritualist Society. Do they still exist? Who is this female demon? Will Alex find her confidence? Is the house haunted? What are Poppy's real intentions?

They say to never meet your heroes...I think Alex is about to find out why.

[Sarah]

i'm finding Alex a little irritating, but i am interested enough to continue and find out what happens next.

i *really* didn't like that the 'reveal' about what happened with Wren is essentially a sexual assault story. are we meant to feel like Alex is the bad person here for pushing Wren? because Wren is clearly the predator, going off Alex's story (sidenote I do hate seeing the queer predator trope).

it is painfully obvious how much Poppy is lying, which makes me think she's meant to be a red herring.

it's definitely cringe/trying too hard to be progressive in some parts, but thankfully that's more towards the beginning and drops off later on.

[Mandy]

I am here for this book. It’s campy, it’s atmospheric. It’s ridiculous.

It is my kind of book. I like the characters, I want to know what’s going on and I’m just enjoying the ride.

I will say though, I almost wish we were reading Devil’s Tongue because that books sounds awesome.

[Sarah]

Mandy wrote: "I am here for this book. It’s campy, it’s atmospheric. It’s ridiculous.

It is my kind of book. I like the characters, I want to know what’s going on and I’m just enjoying the ride.

I will say th..."

i soo agree, i was like "i wish i could go find Roza's books" LOL

[Rachel]

I’m not sure what to think yet. I’m hoping it doesn’t go into the paranormal like it seems it is. The most interesting character is probably Rosa for me. I think she’s got dirt on all of the participants in the retreat. If I had to guess, I would like it will get down to just one (Alex) by the end.

[Emelie]

So far it is just OK for me. I usually love secluded settings and small cast, but I feel like the atmosphere could have been set a little bit more.

Roza is definitely sus. I doubt those necklaces are just for decoration.

The whole incident with Wren and Alex just makes me uncomfortable. It was essentially sexual assault following by rejection because "I'm not gay".

Also I could have lived without the preachy scenes when Alex gets introduced to the house and the judgement against Poppy.

[Clovermine]

I am enjoying it so far and since I usually only like the horror picks is surprising but this has some gothic haunted house vibes.

I didn't realize this was sapphic. Don't know how I feel about that rep yet.

I like the characters, Alex is a bit annoying. but not to bad and I am curious about where this retreat is going to go.

[Olivia]

Not me powering reading this to finish by Saturday

I’m really enjoying the set up so far, I like that Julia Bartz is setting it up so you trust no one. I think my least favorite character so far is Poppy but that might just be because I’m reading in tandem with the audio and physical book and I the voice the narrator uses for Poppy really annoys me.

I’m wondering if it’s going to continue in the “all your idols are probably a**holes” direction since Rosa seems to enjoy tearing them down.

I’m curious to see if the story will go in a supernatural direction or if Alex writing about Daphne is just used to give back story for the house. Also interested to see what, if any, ulterior motive Taylor had for pushing Alex in that direction.

[Daria]

I love the setup so far, can't wait to see what happens next! All the characters appear to be shady, hopefully we find out what they are hiding before or at least after the spooke stuff happens, hehe

[Nourin]

I love the setup so far, the last time I felt this eerily about a book was when I had read "The Guest List". The book is so intriguing and I like the characters so far. My favourite is Roza and Kiera. I thought I would like Wren more but I did not like the character very much to be honest. def, want to continue and see how is it going.

[Bre]

OK the vibes are soooo it for me <3 This is exactly what I needed right now in my reading!! I love the angst wth a dark twist, the nerd with style flair, the eccentrics.. totally the vibe for me right now!! <3 Also enjoying the pacing quite well! Captivating for me <3

[Rachel]

I’m liking the storyline so fa, I definitely saw her and Wren having something more between them. I think something sinister is definitely happening during these retreats. Wondering if Roza is using them in order to get more books made for her but not sure. Liking it so far but I am finding the main characters personality slightly annoying or whiny.