Not every book is for every reader and this one isn't for me. I was looking forward to reading it because of Summers' stellar reputation for dark page turners. I found the dual narrative confusing and the sisters themselves not all that compelling as characters. That said, there are many loyal fans who will gobble this up.
Thank you netgalley for the e-review edition in exchange for an honest review.

Courtney Summers never disappoints.

Trigger warnings for abuse, losing a loved one and bodily harm.

This book was weird. It’s written in a strange format; we’re following two point of views and it also has a non-linear time line. It got confusing at times, that being said, it really worked. It was sad and harrowing, even the atmosphere and setting add to the gloomy feeling. This isn’t an easy read; it deals with a very strained sibling relationship after the loss of their parents and how that impacts their lives and leads them down different paths, one involving a cult. Throughout the story you’re always wondering what’s true and what’s not. Who’s to be trusted and who isn’t. Everyone is unreliable.

The Project was dark, but i really loved it.

I could have done with proper chapter breaks, there were times when the POV changed without my noticing, which was disorienting. That said, though there were things I should have done today, once I started this book I was all in.

Another knockout from Courtney Summers. As usual, a must-buy for all public YA and HS fiction collections.

I love stories about cults so it heavily influences my opinion of the book, which is that I loved it! I am a big fan of interlinking story and timelines and learning about the characters through their growth and how the events around them influence their decisions to ultimately end up in the same place. I loved watching the influence of Lev over the girls and how powerful someone can be with just his words. My only issue, and it's because it is an ARC was the flow. Sometimes different sections bless together and I lost my place.

Courtney Summers lives up to her reputation of being a thrilling storyteller! The Project had me at the edge of my seat and, at times,I felt as if I, myself, was being lured into the cult. I loved how the alternating timelines built up suspense without slowing down the pace of the story. i will definitely be recommending this one to fans of YA thrillers.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

5 stars

I keep a very careful and detailed spreadsheet of all of my arcs, and next month is a busy time for publication, but there was NO chance I was going to let this one sit in its place waiting to be read. I started it only a few hours after approval, and I could not put it down (minus, you know, having to work...but I still thought about this book the whole time).

This is my sixth Courtney Summers book. I've liked all of them - REALLY liked most of them - but this one is on another level.

The narrative follows a timeline that spans quite a few years and jumps around a bit, and while I found that moderately challenging at first, this structure helps to set the scene for Bea and her younger sister (Lo), the incredible trauma they both experience within their immediate family, and the truly unexpected paths their lives are following in present day. Both characters are largely shaped by their traumas but in a way that is riveting and authentic and not gratuitous. These traumas help explain their unusual relationships to each other, with other people, and...with a cult. While I found parts of the first half of the novel to be a bit slow, once details begin falling into place, the pace picks up and never relents.

In so many ways, this novel centers on the pain of being alone in the company of others ("Remember what it was like to be around others?!" I wonder as I write this review in July of 2020...). But it is also a deep dive into resilience and agency and unconditional love; that's where the magic really happens.

This is some tough subject matter but well worth the struggle -

I finished THE PROJECT around midnight, but there was no sleep for me after that. This book will be in my head for a very long time.

I'm a huge fan of Courtney Summers - Sadie broke me wide open and I still feel that. So I expected to be destroyed by this book - maybe I even wanted to be destroyed. But I still wasn't ready for this.

There are no words to describe the writing here - I was lost in this book from the first page. I could feel what it would be like to experiencing the things Lo was experiencing, and while I thought I was one step ahead of her as far as knowing what was going on - I was wrong. More than that, this book really did make me question things I thought I knew about myself, things I thought I understood about myself. Just when I thought I felt safe and secure, the real horror began, the part no one can see until it's too late. This book pulled me in like a current.

I can say that I loved it, but it I can also say it is disturbing and intense and frightening, partly because it is so honest that it's too close for comfort.

Courtney Summers never fails to break my heart in a thousand pieces and yet I keep coming back. The Project was an amazing and harrowing read about familial love, heartbreak, and disillusionment. Highly recommend!