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.

DNF 

the jumping of perspectives and timelines weren’t linear and were definitely very confusing. Too slow and no depth in characters/couldn’t connect to Lo

The Project by Courtney Summers is a poignant young adult novel that is full of suspense.

  Bea Denham is heartbroken when her parents die in a car accident. Her younger sister Lo survives the crash but she is in critical condition. Bea is looking for a miracle when she encounters Lev Warren, the charismatic leader of The Unity Project, in the hospital chapel.  Lo survives her injuries but she has a long road to recovery ahead of her. Bea is supportive but when their great aunt steps in to help them, she spends less and less time with her sister. Lo leaves the hospital and not long after, she loses Bea to Lev and The Unity Project.

  Six years later, Lo is now working at a digital magazine with hopes of eventually becoming a journalist. She has never given up on she reuniting with Bea, so after witnessing a tragic event, she decides to investigate the Project. Lo believes it is a cult and she is determined to find Bea and answers about the Project. She begins by attending a public event in which Lev’s speech is designed to  bring in new members. However, after being unceremoniously removed by his assistant, Lo tries to figure out her next move. She also continues trying to reach out to Bea.

  Bea’s part of the storyline unfolds in a series of flashbacks. Her feelings about Lo following the accident are complex as joins Lev at the Project. She never stops missing Lo but she is soon distracted by Lev and efforts to recruit more members into their fold.  As her circumstances evolve over the years with Lev, Bea reflects on her choices.

  The Project is an engrossing young adult novel with an engaging storyline. Lo and Bea are well developed, sympathetic characters. Lo’s research into the Project takes an unexpected turn yet she never stops trying to find Bea. With shocking twists, Courtney Summers brings this emotional novel to a bittersweet yet gratifying conclusion.  I enjoyed and recommend this unique young adult novel to adult and teen readers.

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 really enjoyed Summers's other book, Sadie, and was highly anticipating this release. While I'm not a huge fan of YA, I tend to gravitate towards the more hard-hitting YA--and Summers is excellent at it. Her writing is what I would describe as "raw" and I really feel like she has found her voice. Overall, this is a really excellent book and I'm so happy for Summers for getting the credit and praise she deserves!

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.

The Project by Courtney Summers ★★★½

Lo is an aspiring journalist. Her parents were killed in a car accident that also left Lo physically and emotionally scarred. Her sister, Bea, seemingly abandoned her to join The Unity Project, a charitable but elusive group led by the "charismatic" (more like creepy af) Lev Warren. When a man comes into Lo's place of work claiming The Unity Project killed his son, she takes this as her chance to make a name for herself by exposing the group that took away her sister.

Initially, I really didn't like how the book skipped back and forth between Lo's present and Bea's past. It felt choppy and halted any suspense. I wanted to know what was happening in the PRESENT. But halfway through, the flashbacks got spicier. Ultimately, the mystery of Bea and her story kept me invested.

Lo was hard to root for. I had to side eye at a nineteen year old with no degree or previous experience, feeling so entitled to a promotion like damn sis chill I felt sympathy for her bc her life was so bleak but even that had it's limit.

At a definitive point, I was so so so confused by Lo's actions I had to go back and see if I missed something?? It felt like /I/ was being gaslighted by the absurdity of what was happening..

I would recommend this. There are thrilling moments and Im glad to have finally read Courtney Summers engaging and immersive writing. I love the theme of sisterhood and even though I didnt hit it off with Lo, I am even more eager to eventually read Sadie.

tw: death of parents, car accidents, abuse, cults, gaslighting, torture

While this book wasn’t quite my cup of tea, I still liked it a lot! The first half was slow moving but the payoff at the end was worth it; I usually figure out the plot twists but this one shocked me, especially the revelation at the end. Characterization was good, the POV switches helped to keep track of who was talking. The scene breaks confused me a bit though, and lead to choppy reading, but I was reading an ARC ebook so it was probably the formatting. I think that The Project is also a great example of how people can lose themselves to someone who says the things they want to hear, whether it’s a cult or something else. I would hesitate to say that this is a YA book, however, as the main character is 19/20 years old and the graphic sex scenes.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook for Sadie by Courtney Summers, and I was looking forward to her next book. Her thrillers land so perfectly on the cusp of YA and New Adult. The Project is great for those of us who love to delve into true crime documentaries about mysterious cults, but it also tugs the heartstrings as a beautiful portrayal of grief and sisterhood. In no way is this a straightforward mystery - it will take you in and have you second-guessing until the end. Would definitely recommend.

The Project is one of these books, where I don't really know what to say about it, without spoiling anything. 
I think the summary gives a good idea of what this book is about and it definitely wasn't a surprising read, plot-wise. Everything that I expected to happen, happened. That may sound boring, but it really really wasn't. I was captivated from the first page and totally immersed in the story. I couldn't put the book down in the second half, because it was just such an intense read and I needed to know what happened because I admit, I was questioning myself along with Lo sometimes. Just a teeny tiny bit. 
The Project also reminded me a lot of Sadie, the only other book I read by this author - but in the best way possible! This has a different topic and lacks the podcast element, but it still gave me similar vibes, which I loved. 
So basically this book was what I expected and the things it did, it did really well in my opinion. As I said, I was instantly hooked and wanted to know what was going on.