The Project is the latest work by best seller Courtney Summers - and if you thought Sadie was good, just wait till this is published. The Project focuses on the complicated relationship between two sisters: Lo (short for Gloria) and Bea, flipping back and forth between their respective points of view in that natural way Summers has mastered. As the narrative progresses we slowly learn about both sister's backstories until finally their current actions intertwine into an epic climax. Lo, who is six years younger than Bea, is a rising journalist at a small magazine an hour outside of NYC. When she was thirteen, Lo and the sisters' parents went through a car crash from which Lo was the only survivor... if only just barely. Through that experience, Bea is introduced to The Unity Project, an organization selflessly embedded in three surrounding cities and known for its charity work just as much as it is known for its charismatic leader, Lev Warren. When Lev "raises Lo from the dead", it doesn't take Bea much convincing to buy into the Warren Theory: that Lev Warren is God's Redeemer who has come to atone the world of its sin through charity work. In joining The Unity Project, Bea cuts all ties with her sister. Fast forward to present day, Lo regularly interacts with her boss's friend whose son recently committed suicide by jumping in front of a train while Lo watched. The son was a member of The Unity Project and his father is convinced The Project is responsible for his son's death. His grief emboldens Lo to uncover the truth about The Unity Project and to finally reconnect with Bea. But as Lo interviews Lev and his upper management, what she finds upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, the world around her, cults, and even her own tragic past till she no longer knows what is real or true. She doesn't even know if she can afford to understand the distinction...

I only know of very few authors who are able to emotionally involve the reader from page one but Courtney Summers is one of them. I couldn't put Sadie down for long periods without dying to know what was going to happen next and despite a very busy work week, the same occurred with The Project. I think what makes this novel so outstanding is because of the constant and intense emotions, the reader can both empathize with the characters' realistic actions while at the same time spot the very tactical moves Lev and his upper management are using to bring both Bea and Lo into the fold. Honestly, the way Lev carries himself occasionally sent shivers up my spine.

The narrative isn't fast-paced but that plays out in its favor because it allows us to see all the different facets of the cult culture. Moreover, most of the revelations are hidden until the end but enough hints are sprinkled throughout the narrative to entice the reader into continue reading.

However, despite how much I love watching Lo's and Bea's stories intertwine, I was still confused on how The Unity Project stepped into their story in the first place. An event later in the book reveals the car crash that killed the sisters' parents was close to one of The Project's residences. But why was the family so far in the country in the first place? And why did The Unity Project feel compelled to step in? Having a little more backstory about Bea's and Lo's parents would, I think, help readers better grasp later events. Also, the shifting years added to the confusion. I liked the inclusion of "2012" and "2013" section headings because that told me the following paragraphs occurred in the past. But why were the "present" years 2018? Technically, 2018 is now in the past and that specific year doesn't necessarily impact the plot. I think it would have been less confusing if the headings were simply "2012"/"2013" respectively and "Present". Based on the lack of face masks mentioned, I would have already assumed the "present" narrative isn't happening in 2020 (or maybe I would have assumed the characters are in denial over COVID actually happening... that seems like something Lev would do anyway.) Also I found it odd we never learned more about Casey's background. We learn about so many other characters but despite Casey's constant presence we only receive snippets and hints of her personal life. And the revelation at the end not only further proves Casey's importance to The Project but also of a missed opportunity to add an extra layer to the narrative.

Verdict: A heart-racing psychological thriller that can only result in a success.

The Project is a fantastic read. It's got a very original plot with really interesting characters, It jumps around a lot in time periods which does take a bit to get used to but once you do, you see the necessity for it and began to enjoy it as it helps the reader delve deeper in to the story.

I don't think this is YA; the main characters are over 18 and teens might find it slow.

Issues I Had with this Book:
* The Ending was a Bit Abrupt-The case against Lev happened really quickly and I would have liked to see a deeper demise. I have an bit of an unhealthy interest in cults and I know that when the heat is on, they start to talk about whatever their religion's equivalent to Armageddon is. They start to gather weapons, they tell their people to prepare for the end or war with the government, and the leader becomes unhinged. Now, I know not every cult is the same but what I've explained would have been much more interesting-LOL

What I Liked About This Book:
* The Execution- We have two POV's among two different dates in time. Lo is told in first POV and Bea is in third person. There are not chapters but four parts but within each part, the POV's switch. What I REALLY liked was how the story continued linearly even though Bea is in 2012 and Lo is in 2017. When Bea is at her happiest, so is Lo and when Bea is at rock bottom, so is Lo.
* The Subtle Comparisons-I liked the comparisons between Lev and Paul
* Themes-there are some major themes here including grief and faith and it is written beautifully.

<i>The Project</i> is another Summers novel featuring sisters, similar to her famous hit, <i>Sadie</i>. But that, my friends, is where the similarities end. In this new YA book, Summers has moved on to cults, The Unity Project.

19 year old Lo is a writer...well, she wants to be. Right now, she’s currently an assistant for a start-up magazine. Having been essentially orphaned after her parents died in a car accident that nearly left her for dead at 13 and her older sister left to join the aforementioned cult, Lo has been on her own her whole life. And thinks that she can get her writing chops by busting open the cult for the world to read about. If only she can get a meeting with the cult leader, Lev.

Bea joined The Unity Project when she was in the hospital, begging someone, anyone in the church chapel to help her sister live. Lev found her that day, and saved Lo’s life. And in turn, he saved Bea’s. She promised him her own, in turn, and gave him everything.

Summers has an amazing way with words and can spin a dual timeline like no other author I’ve ever read. <i>The Project</i> is not <b>quite</b> a thriller. There are some plot twists and turns, and definitely some edge of your seat moments. And it can be a bit dark. But not <i>Sadie</i> thrilling.

I had to give this one 3.5 stars, only because I couldn’t find Lo’s character, given the early development we see with her and her character, moving (no spoilers!) later at speed she does.

#TheProject
The Project by Courtney Summers is a wonderful 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 really evil? These questions burn through you as The Project unfolds. You cannot put this one down.

The Project focuses on Lo Denham and the life she has lived apart from her sister Bea who ended up joining an organization who call themselves The Unity Project. Lo is an aspiring writer and her life takes a dramatic turn when she is confronted by a man who claims that The Project killed his son. This hurls Lo into the whirlwind world of The Project where she can't tell what's real and what's not.

This book is definitely a heart-wrenching reading experience that will surely leave you silently staring at the last page as soon as you finish reading it feeling numb... and pain. So much pain. Courtney Summers writes pain in a way that creeps up on you and hits you right in the gut when you least expect it. Her writing is powerful and lures you into this world she has carefully created in between the pages. It's almost a quiet experience as you find yourself slowly getting attached to her characters. What I especially loved about this book was how each character's personality was not cut and dry. They weren't just bad or just good. The lines were so blurred that I found myself feeling empathetic towards the main antagonist, Lev Warren. Fuck. I found him charming as hell and Courtney's writing of him felt so damn real. I felt like he was gonna show up somewhere in my life and lure me into his world, too. This is Courtney's power. Her ability to make you believe in this world, these characters, and suddenly, it's too late to pull yourself out from drowning in your emotions.

I was looking forward to reading Courtney Summers new book as I had enjoyed reading Sadie. I had a hard time getting into #TheProject at first. While I understood why Summers arranged the book to jump around the timeline for both sisters Bea & Lo, it at first made it difficult for me to connect with either of them. Nevertheless, I was fascinated by the concept of the cult versus the religion--especially considering the mixed perspectives on it in the community. I would set the book down and find myself coming back to that concept more than either character. I was more hooked about 3/4 of the way through because I appreciate the concept of viewing The Unity Project members from the outside first and then shifting to the inside. The book is a thriller or mystery with slightly less thrill, but a fascinating concept, and will still be enjoyed by many teens. Thank you to the publishers and #NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I wasn’t sure if I liked this book. Cult stories creep me out. Even still I needed to know what happened. I could not stop reading it. I was not a big fan of how fast and easily Lo fell in to the Project especially as she is built up to be so skeptical and questioning in the beginning of the story.

I think YA readers will enjoy this thriller!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing an ARC, and to Courtney Summers for being such a kickass writer.

Wow. This book was a gut punch the entire way. I’ve been dying to read Summers’ latest, after Sadie left me reeling for a long time.

The story follows little sister Gloria “Lo”, and her attempt to connect with her older sister Bea, who has been involved in a cult for six years.

Another beautiful, yet dark, book by Courtney Summers. Her books are an instabuy for me and I’m looking forward to having this on both my personal and library shelves.

The Project is another great read by Courtney Summers. Fast-paced, with a few twists, The Project is certainly going to keep you turning the pages.

Courtney Summers has an incredibly distinct style that comes through in every ounce of her writing. Her characters emotions are felt throughout the novel in the scenery. You can picture the bleak settings and feel the emotional turmoil, confusion, and eventually peace that the characters feel. The setting is ordinary, but really lends itself to the novel.

Summers' characters are realistic and troubled. Their flaws are perfectly revealed as each character evolves. The relationships in this book take the forefront, and the book is ultimately a question: What does a perfect connection look like? Is it Lev's "love" for the members of The Project? Is it the bond between sisters that surpasses distance and time? What does imperfection mean to a relationship and when can it be accepted? What happens when relationships begin to falter?
The underlying philosophical questions throughout this novel are what really shine. This novel poses many questions that don't have a true answer, and that is what makes it such an engrossing read. You watch as each character grapples with this theme in their own way, and you'll find yourself deeply invested in how their stories play out.

The only complaint I have about this book is that it felt a little rushed. As things come to a head, the last quarter of the novel ramps up and ties up the story very quickly. I was left wanting more detail and wishing Summers' had given the readers a little more payoff. There were several scenes that were reduced to a paragraph that really could have been fleshed out a little better, giving the reader time to wrap their brains around what happened.

Overall, I believe this is a great follow-up to Sadie, and a must read for any fan of Courtney Summers.

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.

Wow.

The Project will go down as another massive success in Courtney Summers' writing career, and I can't wait to watch it happen. Teens and adults will devour this thriller, and they will demand more.

Aspiring journalist and nineteen-year-old Lo works as an assistant for a prestigious news outlet. She'll never be more than an assistant... Unless she manages to scoop an exclusive expose. When she witnesses a gruesome suicide connected to The Unity Project, she becomes pulled back into a world she thought she'd never be able to return to.

Lo's older sister Bea, has been part of The Unity Project for years. And Lo hasn't heard from her since. Lo knows The Project is more than meets the eye: it's not just acts of service and inspirational sermons. It's a cult. When the leader grants Lo exclusive access to The Project for a profile article, she accepts. But Lo finds more answers than she was looking for, and things become more personal than she ever expected.

The dual point of view (POV) works as masterfully as it did in Sadie. The POV always swaps just before you're ready, leaving you constantly yearning for just a little more information. Lo's POV is written in a raw, speedy first person style, while Bea's, still intimate to the extreme, is a more lyrical and removed third person. Summers lets you know a twist is coming, but makes you pray that you're wrong.

Courtney Summers' writing reminds me of another clever Canadian author's style: Emily St. John Mandel. Both are able to intertwine multiple perspectives with sudden poetics, and just enough description so that the story plays like a movie in your head. Plus they've both written about cults, so that helps.

Summers is an author to watch, an author to celebrate, and an author to be terrified of. Because she will destroy you.

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.