In typical Courtney Summers fashion, this book made me feel many different emotions. The first half of the book starts out a little slow but by the halfway point I was hooked. This book does a fantastic job discussing grief and loss. Courtney Summer’s portrayal of a cult and how people can get sucked in so quickly, especially those that feel “lost” was so well done. I will say that this book even made me question organized religion.

I have definitely come away from this book thinking upon many important topics and have urged other reader friends to pick this up so we can have a discussion about it.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

I've been a Courtney Summers fan for years and have really loved watching her writing evolve. She started out writing contemporary YA featuring female characters who were always a little more complicated than your average YA character in the 2010s (Cracked Up To Be, Some Girls Are and Fall For Anything). Then she did zombies. Then a sexual assault book, All The Rage.

That said, The Project didn’t feel at all like YA to me. It’s almost as Lo is the adult version of those complicated teen girls from Summers’s earlier books. The Project features characters out of high school and in the adult work world and, to me, felt much more like a literary suspense novel.

I also think that The Project is Summers’s best book by far. No, it doesn’t have that angsty, angry teen girl feel that her earlier books did. Instead, it’s a really interesting, beautifully written, adult book that explores the issue of faith in its most positive and negative iterations.

Lo and Bea only have each other after the terrible car accident that killed their parents and left Lo clinging to life. When Bea thinks Lo was miraculously saved by a charismatic cult leader, she joins his group, leaving Lo in the care of her aunt. Years later, Lo tries to save Bea back by infiltrating the cult.

The story is told from the point of view of both sisters and moves forward and backward in time. It’s not quite as dark a book as Sadie, but is chilling in a much quieter way. I thought it did a great job of showing both the seductive side of a cult, and the controlling, dangerous side.
I definitely think this should be up for award consideration as even though it doesn’t really feel like YA, I think it’s an impressive piece of work.

If you’re looking for a feel good book or one with a definitive ending, maybe save this one for another time! But I loved this and definitely recommend it!

The Project is about one girls quest to find her older sister who joins a local cult after a horrific car accident that leaves her younger sister in a coma and their parents dead. It definitely paints a true depiction of the grooming and predatory ways of cult culture and how easily one can be lured into joining them. I was hoping for some serious creepy thriller vibes just because how this book was marketed but I found it to be a bit subdued where I felt it should have had my heart racing. This was very different from the typical thriller template I’m so used to. While it’s a slow burn like no other, it has some redeeming qualities which I won’t give away in case you decide to pick it up! I'm sure many will love this book!!

This book was unsettling, and it was thought provoking, and it was twisted, but not in the way I expected. I like Young Adult novels, and I like novels about cults and the methodology behind them, so when I had the opportunity to read this one, I jumped for it.

Lo and Bea are sisters, but they’re estranged. Lo is in a terrible car accident when she’s 13, and both of their parents are killed. Lo is hanging on by a thread, and Bea is breaking down at the possibility of not only losing her sister, but being well and truly alone. One night, while crying alone in the hospital chapel, a man comes across her and promises to save Lo in exchange for devotion.

Bea accepts. And from there we start her journey into Lev’s web as a member of the Unity Project.

And Lo lives.

Told in dual timelines, what I think was most unique and intriguing about this book was how we watched two sisters, in two completely different situations at two completely different times, come across Lev and watch them get twisted up into his world. It’s subtle, how he manipulates the situation, and it’s impressive, how he knows just what to do with each person he comes across to appeal to his new recruits. Watching this story unfold, and working with Lo as she tries to track down Bea and find out just where she went and what happened to their relationship was both heartbreaking and fascinating. This story gives you a unique perspective on how cult leaders find their marks, and I was wrapped up in this entire narrative from start to finish. The characters were well developed, they were unreliable, and they were all selfishly driven, and it was hard to know who to trust. I think I liked that most of all.

I do think it wrapped up a little prematurely (and quickly) and I think it was a little too neat, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. It was a long, slow burn, and it was worth every minute of my time. Honestly, I still feel a little unsettled by the entire story and I think that feeling will linger every time I think back on this book. The idea behind it all, and how real it is (and can be) is probably the biggest reason I keep coming back to it.

I hope you get the chance to read this one, and I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to the Project.


{Many thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the review copy}

Just like her previous novel, Sadie, Courtney Summers once again writes a devastating novel about tragedy, family and trauma.

When Lo was 13 years old, she was in a car accident that killed her parents and left her on a ventilator. The only family Lo was left with was her 19 year old sister Bea. Bea was so broken after the accident that instead of being by Lo's side, she joins a cult called the Unity Project led by the charismatic leader Lev Warren, leaving Lo behind. Now, Lo is 19 and a journalist. After another tragedy happens, she is determined to find Bea and get to the bottom of what the Unity Project is up. She has no idea what is about to go up against.

Summers has such lyrical writing that this was a truly a book that was hard to put down. While the plot was a slow burn in the beginning, as the story progressed, I was eager to see what would happen to the characters next. This book is told in alternating perspectives from Bea in the past and Lo in the present, which presents even more complex layers to the story. While some parts of the story were a bit unbelievable, I was really rooting for the sisters and family at the heart of the story. I loved all the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the last few pages. My only worry is that while this book is marketed as a teen book, there are a lot of very mature and disturbing things in this book that may be uncomfortable for younger readers. Overall, this was a great read and I will be recommending it.

This is exactly the intensity and intrigue I have come to expect from Courtney Summers. The author excels at writing multiple perspective books and creating a story that keeps you hooked through key reveals, parallel experiences and complex webs of characters. The two main characters Lo and Bea sisters whose parents die in a car crash that left Lo in the hospital are well developed and really bring forth the resonance of the special bond siblings have. This journey of faith, fear, and family is definitely one you do not want to miss.

I received reviewed The Project by Courtney Summers as an ARC through NetGalley. #TheProject #NetGalley

After reading 7% of this book, I couldn't remember why it had appealed to me, and I couldn't seem to work out where the story was going.
So, like a fellow reader, I went back and looked up the blurb. The beginning of the book seemed to have NO relation to what the book was about, and I really hate that. The frustration continued as I waited for the nitty gritty plot to get going, and for me it just didn't. It sounded like a totally different book!
The prologue concerning the sibling rivalry was the same as any birth of a sibling, and doesn't give me any information about Bea and Lo's future relationship, and then it went to Lo's perspective but it wasn't clear enough to me.
I wanted to love this book, but it was such a confusing read.
Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

3.5 Stars
We are in the age of fascination with cults, and true crime lovers will devour serial killers and this book.
Lo wants to expose The Project; an organization supposedly built on helping and giving. Led by a man that stole her older sister from her. When she finally gets a chance to dig in deep to the world and find her sister, she finds herself caught up in their game.

This was an interesting story with a switch between narratives and timelines. It foreshadowed and cast doubt and believed in the leader and those around him. It really showed the appeal of sinister motives and also similarities to real-life stories.
But it also had random moments that didn't make sense when reading; Lo's sudden change of views, the purpose of the phone calls (besides doubt) and the ending felt a little rushed and a little flat with her escape.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Project.

The Project centers on two sister; Bea and Lo, who are both suffering from trauma and loss. Bea turns to The Unity Project, an organization that helps out in communities and is rumored to be a cult. Lo is left behind and struggles to figure out why by investigating the Unity Project. I have to say, I absolutely devoured this book. Summers weaves a web of past and future, leaving you wondering is this a cult? Is this just a group of caring people who have formed a family and are doing good deeds? As the story builds, you find yourself like Lo, not sure what to believe, and questioning what you just thought was true. As you find out more, you realize just how messed up this story is.

While many parts ended up being predictable, this book keeps you on your toes and you're never quite sure. I wish the ending had a bit more to it, as it finishes quickly, but I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely be reading more by her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a genuine surprise. I liked Sadie as I listened to the audiobook and thought the premise was really cool.
I sort of went into this blind but was hoping for a really engaging read. And I was not disappointed.

The start was a tiny bit slow for me, hence the 4 rather than 5 stars but overall I loved it. Lev really pulled me in and at one point I was almost rooting for him, his character was so compelling and charismatic that it almost felt real.

Bea and Lo have a special place in my heart and the ending of this while sad was very satisfying and it felt complete.

I do recommend you check trigger warnings as there is references to some quite dark stuff here but overall it was a really great read, unlike anything I've ever read before and I can't wait to see what else Courtney Summers brings out.

While I didn't love this author's previous book, Sadie, I had high hopes going into this one. This book ended up being an average read and it fell flat for me. The concept of cults is fascinating to me and there was so much potential for me to love this story. I wanted there to be some kind of mystery to solve, or even more questions to be posed.

Lo Denham survives a car crash that kills her parents and she goes to live with her aunt. While her sister, who was old enough to take care of Lo, joins the Unity Project instead. The Unity Project has gained lots of praise for the amount of charitable work they take part in. However, there is suspicion that the charity work is a cover for a cult. Lo is determined to expose the fact they are a cult and reunite with her sister, Bea. Things aren't as they appear and thoughts are manipulated when Lo meets with Lev Warren, The Unity Project's leader and founder.

It was very hard for me to stay invested in the story. While the concept was interesting for me, I never felt any connection to any of the characters and I didn't ever care what happened to them.

While this one wasn't for me, I can see the appeal to why others have enjoyed and will enjoy it.

Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.

I'm in literal tears that I was chosen (to receive an eARC) and experience this devastation early. It's been three months since I read this and am still processing, which in itself says quite a bit. The Project is a compelling exploration into the world of cults and centers on the relationship between two sisters. You will love Bea and Lo, and you will cry. A lot.

"Having a sister, mom says, is a place only the two of them will share, made of secrets they never have to say aloud - but if they did, it would be in a language only the two of them could speak. Having a sister is a promise no one but the two of you can make - and no one but the two of you can break."

The writing is like coming home; there's something comfortable and safe about opening a new Courtney Summers book, and I think that's what makes the devastation that much more crushing. The Project captures this feeling of comfortable foreboding well, and it's that knowledge that Summers enjoys destroying her readers that I feel so connected to them. They feel real and raw, and I find myself gripped by the story and reading the whole book in one sitting.

Everything feels important and the pacing never suffers from this intricately woven thriller. Told in dual timelines and perspectives, The Project chronicles Bea in the past after the accident and follows Lo in the present as she tries to find Bea years after her disappearance.

"I want to hear what answers could tempt sisters away from sisters, tempt lost boys in front of oncoming trains."

The juxtaposition between the sisters' closeness in the past and the current estrangement is heartbreaking and unsettling. What caused their falling out? Where did Bea go and where is she now? I came to love these sisters so fiercely and intimately.

The amount of research on cults that Summers conducted in crafting this novel is apparent. But it's also a little unsettling because she uses recent historical moments in the US like Occupy and Trump's election to show how a group like The Unity Project could grow and appear as a lifeline to the downtrodden. People who are looking for a place to belong and not suffer. To have a purpose. The Project not only looks at how and why people join cults, but the charismatic leader at the top. The best villains are so nuanced that you fall into their gravitational pull despite knowing better, and Lev Warren is so charismatic that I almost wanted to join the Unity Project. I really found myself torn between Lo's feelings of mistrust and hatred and genuinely digging his message. Because let's be real: I'd totally join a hippie commune.

"Warren's New Theory of Atonement and Redemption, which posits the sins of humanity have cut us off from God's grace, and the collective good works of The Project will atone for our sins and bring salvation to the ends of the earth."

Where do you draw the line between a cult and a new religion? Summers goes deep in the exploration of cults and how it is people join them. When you look at religions from a scholarly perspective, any new religion is looked at as weird or cult-like and counter to the "true teachings". It takes some time for a new religion to gain its footing, followers, and respectability. And we all know that this book is about cults and it won't end well (because Courtney Summers lives on reader's' heartbreak), but it is interesting to consider the other side. What if it was just a hippie commune out to make the world a better place?

"Where is the line between what circumstances have turned you into and what you choose to be?"

At its heart, The Project really explores trauma and how we move forward. Lo's experienced so much heartbreak and trauma in her 19 years from the loss of both her parents and almost dying in that same car accident, to her sister's abandonment, to her toxic work environment. How the things which broke her also gave her strength in a way, but also how we are more than just the trauma we've experienced. This is mirrored with a look at places of trauma and how quickly life returns to normal.

One thing I personally want to expand on is Lo and her toxic work environment. With aspirations of becoming a writer and telling stories, she took an assistant position with rising star Paul in the hopes of learning the ropes and advancing her career. The Project basically begins the present narrative a year after starting the job and begins to pitch stories to write (her actual career goal) and learn from her would-be mentor, but Paul is anything but supportive. As a woman who faced similar roadblocks to her career, I was so thankful to see the depiction of this toxic work environment and all the gaslighting that Lo experienced. It normalized my experiences in a way that nothing else has, and I'm not only thankful for myself but also other young adults who can see potential warning signs and see the complisults for what they are.

"If you tell a story - something real, something true - you get to be alive in other people. And writing feels like the most... the greatest chance I'll ever have at being - alive."

Overall, The Project surpassed my already high expectations and this is a book I'd recommend to readers who enjoy thrillers and stories centered on sister relationships. This book will make you feel things, then will break you, and then you will thank it.

Content warnings: abuse, allusions to sexual abuse, branding, car accident, cults, death of parents, gaslighting, grooming, loss of a loved one, mentions of car accident, mentions of self-harm, premature birth, suicide, torture, toxic work environment panic attack, violence

eARC sent via Netgalley for my honest review. This has not affected my opinions in any way. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon final publication.

I am a lifetime fan of Courtney Summers' books. That said, I always brace myself when I start one. I know that it will be brutal, unflinching, and that in all likelihood, I won't be able to put it down until the last sentence is read.

The Project did not disappoint!

This is, in the simplest terms, a novel about a cult. Bea and Lo experience a life-changing event, and charismatic Lev Warren swoops in, promising redemption, love, and more. The only catch is that his followers must give up everything about their own lives, and swear loyalty to him.

The sisters are separated, by Warren and their timelines: Bea's story begins immediately after Lo's car accident, and Lo's story years after that. Every scene is taut and suspenseful, even the ones revealing The Project's benign outreach programs (food and shelter for the needy). Lo's persistent attempts to reunite with Bea resonated deeply with me. And of course, shocking things about The Project are revealed!

And yes, fellow readers. I read until the wee hours of the night. I am tired and unprepared for the day, but it was worth it!

I 100% recommend you read this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Nineteen year old Lo Denham has been alone for most of her life. Her parents died in a car accident when she was younger and her older sister, Bea, chose to abandon Lo to become a member of a special group called the Unity Project, a group known for their religious background and for their community outreach efforts. Lo is suspicious about the Project. Why would joining such a group make her sister choose to cut all ties with the only family she has left? Lo becomes obsessed with learning as much as she can about the Project. As an aspiring writer, it is Lo’s goal to write an exposé on what she thinks the Project is…a cult. When she meets and interviews the members of the Project and the founder, however, Lo gets way more than she bargained for and it becomes clear she’s in over her head in her pursuit of the truth.

I don’t really want to say anything else about the plot itself because I think following Lo’s journey and seeing it unfold without spoilers is the best way to fully appreciate it. The Project is also hard to classify but it’s not exactly what I would consider a thriller. There is definitely an element of mystery to it, but by and large, the story is an exploration of just how easy it is to get lured in by a cult. It explores how a persuasive cult leader can get under your skin, by giving you precisely what you need emotionally and by making you feel seen. This aspect of the book hit me hard because it’s so relevant today with groups like Q Anon. You wonder how in the world someone can fall for something like that, but with The Project, Courtney Summers shows just how vulnerable we all can be. The Project is a dark read and a sad, heartbreaking one at times, but a powerful read just the same.

I do love a cult book, and one with an added layer of mystery is sure to entice! In this book, we meet Lo, whose life is kind of the definition of tragedy. After she and her parents are in a brutal car accident, of which she is the only survivor, she must spend ages recovering, physically and mentally. While she begins this tedious process, her beloved sister Bea just... vanishes, into the cultiness of The Unity Project. You know they're a cult because the first thing they say is that they're not a cult. That is like, the official cult motto, right?

And it is beyond easy to see how the cult got to Bea. They basically made her believe that they, via divine miracle/Lev, saved Lo's life. And Bea's whole world is in shambles, so yeah, you'll believe some sketchy stuff, because nothing makes sense anymore. And as the story delves deeper, we begin to see exactly how a group evolves.

Lo starts out on a mission to uncover Unity Project as a cult after the son of an acquaintance ends his life, seemingly using the Project's slogans as his final words. But the deeper Lo gets into her story, the more danger she is in of falling into their grip. It's such a comprehensive look into the inner workings of cults, as well as the life cycle of one. For that alone, I loved it, but I was also anxious to find out what the fates of these sisters would be, especially after life had been so cruel to them.

Bottom Line: A look into both cults, and how a person can find themselves caught up in one. Emotive and thought provoking, it's another win for Courtney Summers.

hanks to @netgalley for an advance copy of this book for review, and happy pub day to The Project by Courtney Summers! 🎉

I blew through Sadie when I read it in 2019, so I was thrilled to hear Summers was working on another book. Though unrelated, I think you would enjoy The Project if you enjoyed Sadie - both are dark, gritty, with powerful relationships and a mystery that slowly unfurls as you flip the pages.

The Project is told in dual perspective and dual timeline - Bea in the past, and her sister Lo in the present - as both sisters grapple with the loss of their parents in a car accident that nearly claimed Lo’s life, as well as their ties to the mysterious Unity Project (philanthropic organization or cult?)

Courtney Summers knows how to give me the heebeejeebies and I KEEP COMING BACK because she does it so well. If this sounds right up your alley, be mindful of the intense trigger and content warnings for this book:

TW: suicide, physical and emotional abuse, car accident, loss of a parent

Gloria (Lo) Denham goes looking for her sister Bea, years after recuperating from a car accident that killed her parents. Bea joined The Unity Project, which is thought to be a cult in upstate New York. Lo is working at a magazine as an assistant, but dreams of being a journalist. She makes a deal with the leader of The Unity Project to write an article about their group to provide an "honest" view of their organization. Lo is using this opportunity to not only build her resume, but also find out more about her sister, who is said to have left The Unity Project. This is not a big mystery/thriller story, as the only real mystery is what happened to her sister and where is her sister now. While I enjoyed the premise and the writing, I found the pacing to be a bit slow at times. Also, the book is divided into 5 parts, with sections following Bea and sections following Lo in the same part. At times, it was a bit confusing trying to figure who you were following. I was not a fan of these very long parts that could have been broken down into chapters. Overall, 3 stars as the writing was enjoyable, yet the story could have been less predictable and the formatting could have been better. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing this eARC for review.

I had the wildest dreams at night while I was reading this book. My mind was very clearly trying to put all the pieces together -- to work out the intrigue of the cult and the sisters that have found themselves inexplicably pulled to it. The last book I read by Summers, Sadie, was an excellent true crime podcast in a book form that followed sisters, and for those that enjoyed that, The Project is an addicting read.

With two POVs, following Bea and her sister Lo, over two different times, a story slowly unravels that grapples with trauma, faith, the need for belonging, and the dangers of power. I read it over a period of two days, and was hooked by a deep sense of dread and foreboding. I knew that the pull of the cult was not going to be a good omen for the characters involved, but Summers does an incredible job of putting you into the mindset of the characters -- who are awed by the miracles that happen, invested in the resources of the organization used to provide essential good for the community (like shelter, food, medical care), and loved by the found family they don't have elsewhere. The power of The Project is that it can so easily take advantage of the disenfranchised and vulnerable, and make them believe wholeheartedly in their own suffering as redemption.

If you're looking for a little darkness, and a quick read that leave you with questions about what is true or not -- pick this book up! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

Every book Courtney Summers writes is more horrifying than the last one, and I mean that in a positive way. The Project gives you a deeply unsettled feeling right from the start and you can't quite figure out why until about half way though the book when Events Happen. The first half was a bit slow for me, but the unease that's built up through Lo's POV and drive to get her sister back is needed and you're repaid for your patience in the second half. I live in Upstate NY and I couldn't help but feel like this story was a bit inspired by events that have happened around here these past few years, and I think the fact that I've been following that very public situation just made me even more uncomfortable waiting for the inevitable other shoe to drop while reading this.

The Project. It's so good I've been stretching it out to read like a treat. YA that you'll love as an adult: Rolling Stone even wrote about it.
I finished way too late last night to finish my real review; I even had to drink sleepy tea to calm down. Wow. That was a lot.
The Project by Courtney Summers is a beautiful and timely thriller about how lies can tear families apart. Lo finds herself twisted up in a situation that will test everything she knows and values. Is it a cult? Are they evil? These questions burn through you as The Project unfolds. You cannot put this one down. I would not hand this to young YA readers without reading it yourself first.