The Project will be appealing to fans of Courtney Summers' earlier novel, Sadie. The Project pits a journalist against a cult. The journalist lost both of her parents and shortly aftterwards, her sister joined a group called The Project and she's trying to reconnect with her sister and expose the group without being taken in. Propulsive plot.

This story of a young woman investigating a religious cult was just okay to me. I did get interested and want to finish it, but I saw a lot of holes in it. I think it is marketed as a YA book, but if so, it's definitely at the high age range of YA. It seemed more like an adult book to me. Spoiler--the final plot twist was unexplained and unbelievable. This was an easy, quick read, and I'm sure it will have fans who like thrillers and who want to get into the mindset of cult leaders and cult followers.

My first thought upon finishing this book was a softly exhaled curse. After Sadie and Cracked Up To Be, I knew that Courtney Summers has a particular skill with peeling up sections of your skin and burrowing deep inside (if it sounds unsettling and vaguely uncomfortable, it is) - with characters who love fiercely and hurt deeply and rage infinitely. But more than anything, they need. They reach out of the page with claws extended.

There are a handful of lines that feel like the chiming of a bell in the back of your brain. Like everything must stop until the cold, echoing vibration peters out. One line in particular (though this may not be final) was something to the effect of "I feel like a lie my sister told" and amidst the maelstrom of this fraught relationship between Lo and Bea, that line alone stopped me cold. And the book is riddled with them.

At various points in the book, you will want to grab both Bea and Lo and shake them, call them stupid, tell them "noooo" super dramatically. As they both circle around tragedy and circumstance and cliché (responding appropriately to the cliché-ness, to the point where you have to nod and go "yep, that really is the only response"). And throughout it all... You don't know what to believe. You genuinely don't know. "Cult vibes" isn't enough when the doors are wide open.

I told myself after reading Sadie that I needed to look back and fill in Summers' backlist. Again, I make that claim because these books can wreck you.

THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers is a YA novel about Lo Denham who tries to reunite with her sister Bea. Bea joined The Unity Project so Lo begins to investigate “the project” and seeks out their leader Lev to find out if he’s really a cult leader. The premise right away was really intriguing with the whole cult aspect but the whole book was so predictable. The writing was good as I was hooked to keep reading but more so to see if something unexpected would happen. I found at the end of the book I didn’t care for the whole plot at all. I’m still curious to read Sadie though.

Wow. I could not put this book down! It's a stunning book about loneliness and the deep desire to belong. If you loved Sadie, you will definitely love this.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
I have actually tried this author before and wasn't fond of her writing style but decided I would try it one more time. After this though I will probably write this author off as just not my taste.

Hi friends! I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book won’t be published until February of 2021, but feel free to read my spoiler-free review and add it to your list if you’re interested! Although I received this book for free, all thoughts and feedback are my own.

Synopsis & Quick Thoughts
The Project is the second book I’ve read by author Courtney Summers, the first one being Sadie, which I enjoyed a moderate amount. Her newest novel follows Lo, a young woman whose family was torn apart by a devastating car crash when she was a child. After the accident that killed their parents, Lo’s older sister Bea joins The Unity Project, a religious organization with a focus on service and outreach. Lo attempts to expose The Unity Project for what she believes it truly is – a cult – and reunite with her sister. But after meeting with their charismatic leader, Lev Warren, the line between truth and fiction becomes blurred.

After a number of days have passed and given me the ability to reflect on what I’ve read, I can still say that I’m still not sure what to think about this book. It’s a little too thrilling to be a contemporary, but a little too slow to be a thriller. I feel like I’m left with a novel that builds too slowly to an insane climax, and while I liked the story a good amount, the wildly inconsistent pacing made this difficult to get through.

Positives
The themes that this novel explores are really fascinating and intriguing to me. I really enjoy learning about cults and what gets people to join and stay in one, especially the connection between cults and religion. The perspective we get by this story being presented in the first person helped to highlight the techniques that these organizations use on people and the conflicting emotions that they can bring forth within a person, even those who are skeptical.

To an extent, I also appreciated the slow burn that this plot had (or at least the idea of it). I think it really exemplifies the hold that cults can have on a person and the subtle build leading to the climax and answers to the questions we’ve been chasing for the entirety of the plot. The last 10% of the book had me thrilled and on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed Lo and her characterization. I really enjoyed Lev and his character development and the mystery and distrust surrounding him. The writing was well done and the environments were descriptive and very easy to become immersed in. I also enjoyed the ending and thought it wrapped up neatly without being unrealistic.

Negatives
The biggest issue I had with The Project was its pacing. As stated, I don’t mind novels with a slow, burn; I think it’s one of the best ways to build suspense in a thriller. With that being said, however, I feel as though the plot didn’t get rolling until about halfway through the novel. I think this might have been okay if the novel were marketed as more of a contemporary, but I went in expecting a thriller and felt as if I didn’t really get one until over halfway through the book. I also didn’t love the alternating perspective and time skips in this novel. I felt although the events told from Bea’s point of view were important to the story, it was somewhat confusing and following the jumps and changes took more effort than I was expecting (but maybe that’s just me!).

One of the smaller things that didn’t decrease my rating but is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to writing. I really can’t stand when authors put modern day references into their works. I’ve had long talks with various people about why I feel like this, but I think it has to do with my sense of escapism and the idea that it instantly dates the novel I’m reading. The Project includes references to Slack and the Trump administration, among others, and it felt very “hello fellow kids” in a way I didn’t enjoy. These details didn’t add anything to the story and I think would have kept my immersion better if they’d been left off altogether.

Rating & Final Thoughts
This is the most unsure about a rating I’ve been in a while! For now, I think I’m going to rate The Project 3 out of 5 stars. It’s kind of the epitome of ambivalence. I like cult books and dark stories, but this almost seemed too little too late. The writing style was solid, but the characters and the plot just couldn’t get me to care one way or another. If you’re a Courtney Summers fan, check it out. Otherwise, read Sadie instead.

i loved the pacing and felt immersed in the book as soon as i started it. i found it intriguing, and kinda scary??? but i am also a baby so! i'm very interested in reading more of courtney summers' books, like sadie, in the future! and i cant wait to buy this on its release date.

thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Project definitely gave me the thrilling read I've been wanting. This is the first book I've read by Courtney Summers and I'm glad to have requested this ARC. The synopsis tells us that Bea may have joined a cult and that is what we believe to happen as readers. What's interesting about The Project is we get the perspective from both sisters but at different timelines.

While reading The Project it was hard for me to trust both narratives as they seem to have some sort of complications with themselves as well. This made it a more interesting read as we readers navigate through their vulnerabilities and how it clouds their realities. I enjoyed the mystery and thrill by not giving us the answers to both these characters all at once.

Reading about Lev was also interesting especially how Bea and his member viewed him as such a powerful person. The Unity Project itself had so much mystery to it that made me want to keep reading out of curiosity. In the first half of the book, we are convinced that the Project is a cult (from Lo's perspective) yet from Bea's we are shown that they help people through their struggles and find themselves. I as a reader was conflicted as to if the Project was a cult or this was due to Lo projecting on finding a reason as to why her sister cut contact with her.

Although I enjoyed the read, I did find the build-up a bit slow. It's definitely a book I would recommend to people new to thrillers! Will be picking up more books from Courtney Summers!

So, I actually had not meant to request The Project, instead thinking it was a different book by a different author. But as I had heard of Courtney Summers's Sadie I was intrigued enough to go ahead and give it a go. Not only was it not terribly long (it clocks in just under 200 pages) but it was about a cult. And in a year like 2020, who doesn't want a suspense/ thriller about a cult?

If there is such a person, it sure isn't me.

The plot is simple enough: following their parents' deaths, Lo Denham's older sister Bea vanished into the titular The Unity Project, a church whose focus is on community and charity. Led by the charismatic Lev Warren, The Unity Project prides themselves on giving those lost purpose and acceptance. But Lo doubts the group's legitimacy, and when the chance comes to investigate The Unity Project, she might finally get the answers about her sister she’s been long denied.

The Project is about a cult; at no point is it coy about that fact. That's its big draw, and to a degree its biggest stumbling block. Because cults function in a very specific way, parts of the plot unfold with fated predictability. Lo, without family, struggling in a job she doesn't feel takes her seriously, and living with the trauma of the car accident that destroyed her family, is ripe for conversion, and it unfolds with sickening inertia.

All along the way, The Project's various cracks begin to show, and the truth about Bea's disappearance surfaces. While I was engaged enough to get to the end, to get my answers, and to see what ultimately befell Lo, parts did fall short.

The Project is a shorter work, and it does take its time to get going. This is fine to set up Lo's circumstances, especially so you can see how she would be ideal prey. That said, once we hit the meat of the plot, everything kind of unravels at once. The climax is a bit rushed, to the point that things just…end and resolve themselves. Bea's story is concluded, but it’s both unsurprising and also very briefly dealt with to the point that I felt nothing about it. A theme of the work- what it’s actually framed by-is the relationship of sisters, but the ending never really delivered on bringing that to a close, for good or for ill.

The Project is quick and engaging, but it really isn't going to go anywhere you aren't expecting, due to the inherent nature of cults. Lo is a character to root for and to feel concern over, but the end feels clipped and rushed so that she doesn't get any real closure. The villains are the villains and you know who they are. That said, if you want something quick with a dark edge akin to a slightly lighter Gillian Flynn, The Project is perfect.

Excellent, beautifully written story about two sisters who have lost contact due to one of them joining a cult. Lo and Bea both suffered a tragic loss when they were young and never fully recovered. Even though Lo has the scars on the outside from the loss, Bea is also suffering just as much. Bea gets wrapped up in a cult and losses contact with Lo, who is now an aspiring reporter looking to do a story about the cult she believes took her sister from her. With many insights about how vulnerable people lose themselves in cults, this book is fascinating and impossible to put down. Would give way more than 5 stars if possible.

Fascinating. I loved Summer's book, Sadie, so I was thrilled to see she wrote another. The project keep me reading. Told in current day and flashbacks, it tells the story of two sisters--one is in a cult, and the other is an inspiring reporter. The catch? One sister has gone missing. The cult was the most interesting part of the story because it "looks" like it's doing all the right things (charity). But of course...there are things going on. Engaging. Definitely recommended.

Love reading about cults so I knew this would be right up my alley! Also ended up being a really gripping story about the bond of sisters and what they will do for each other. There were parts that felt really slow for me the ending was great, overall happy with it!

A little bit of a predictable story, but well written and was able to keep my attention throughout the book.

The Quick Cut: A younger sister looks for her long missing older sister, who left her behind for a religious group thought to be a cult. Drama happens when it turns out to be a much more complex situation than she thought.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Family can be complicated. Although they are the people you don't choose in your life, they are the ones who can have the greatest impact. So what do you do when the only family you have left suddenly abandons you? This is the reality for Lo, in her search for her sister Bea.

After Lo's parents died, her older sister Bea left her to their Aunt and joined the Unity Project. Now that her Aunt is dead, Lol finds herself alone and still trying to contact Bea. The Unity Project claims it's due to her sister wanting no communication with her until she gets an unexpected offer: be given unfettered access to the project in order to write an op-ed. Will she find that what she knows is true? Or will she discover there's far more to the story?

This book is an interesting combination of themes. While the description makes it sound like the focus is on the Unity Project and their status as a cult like organization, it also discusses for a significant portion the relationship between the sisters.

Bea is clearly troubled and running away from her problems, which makes you wonder why Lo feels so strongly that she wants her back. Lo upends her entire life to try to make it happen and it's sad to see that play out.

Lev is the leader of the Unity Project and a bit too predictable. He tries to justify his choices and say it's best for troubled people, but he isn't enigmatic enough to truly make it work. I guess I expected too much of the character going into it.

A story about cults and how it impacts relationships.

My rating: 4 out of 5

After reading and loving Sadie by Courtney Summers, I couldn’t wait to read The Project. This book starts off slow and due to the dual timelines, it was difficult for me to get invested in the story. While the premise of this novel is intriguing (investigating a mysterious cult and its charismatic leader), I found the execution lacking. I wanted to like Lo as a character but I continued to question her actions throughout the novel. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Summers book and I've been hearing about this author for quite some time now - especially re her novel, Sadie (which I have, but haven't read yet like so many other books that will one day kill me ). I'm going to be absolutely candid here - I struggled through the first quarter of this book... but y'all... give me cults and I'M GONNA READ IT.

The first chapter with Bea finding about how she's going to be a big sister to not wanting to have ANYTHING to do with that and then to naming her little sister, Lo.... they have a little bit of a struggle bus of a relationship but like with (most) siblings, are bonded... so when Bea joins The Unity Project and cuts off all communication... well, what's Lo to do when given an opportunity?!

There's some alternate POVs and we go back and forth in time, but I never found any of this confusing and quite liked the way the story unfolded. I was intrigued but this doesn't play like what your typical thriller read would. However, the thriller aspect most definitely is there. It just slowly creeps up on you as you find out more and more and all your little hairs start to stand on end. This contemporary, new adult thriller gives us a bit of a less shocking cult but with so much impact. Is Lev really that intuitive? Hell, for a moment I was even questioning everything.

Look, I was probably still unsure how I felt about this read even at the 75% mark.. yet I coudln't stop reading and then I found my visceral reactions to certain moments towards the end telling me that, "Yep Chandra, you are fully invested." I truly appreciated the little nuances that still kept you going "hmmmm"... stick with this one my fellow readers. Just have some faith. 😉❤

The Project follows Lo as she tries to expose the cult that stole her older sister away from her so many years ago. The Project’s premise is what drew me to the novel. Also, Summer’s writing is always lyrical (i.e. Sadie and All the Rage). Unfortunately, the execution of this intriguing premise and Summer’s writing is lacking.

The Project is slow and boring. For most of the novel, readers are subjected to pages upon pages of religious babble as Lo interviews the leader. These moments are pivotal in a novel like this since readers are supposed feel compelled or, at least, understand why people who fall prey to these types of groups. Unfortunately, these conversations are dull at best. There wasn’t a moment I felt compelled or slight swayed.

The novel thrusts readers into Lo’s life in a way that makes it difficult to keep up. There are flash backs and the perspectives switch making it confusing.

A novel like The Project relies heavily on its main character. Lo is an average woman looking to make something more out of her life. Unfortunately, she didn’t come off as particularly smart or resourceful. Instead, readers watch as she flounders when confronted by the charismatic leaders.

I think The Project would have been a more compelling story had it been told from Lo’s sister’s perspective, Bea. Readers get a glimpse of how she was introduced to The Unity Project at the beginning of the novel and that’s it. Had Summers continued with Bea’s story line, The Project would have been a deeper and darker dive into the cult.

Overall, The Project was a disappointment after how much I loved Sadie. I was expecting The Project to be a darker toned mystery, but, instead it’s a slow moving novel that never really amounts to anything.


I originally rated the novel three stars after completing it, but after having written my review I changed it to two stars.

A warning. Every time you read a Courtney Summers book, a piece of your heart and soul will go with it. What can I say about The Project other than..... it's a Courtney Summers book. It emotionally devastates you. If you enjoy books that do that, well this one is for you. I'm terrible at descriptions so for a summary of the book, read the summary. I will just say that I loved this book and loved (and hated) its characters. Yes I will probably read this book again because I am a glutton for punishment.

Trigger warnings for death, emotional and physical abuse, torture, child abuse.

goddamn it Courtney Summers. I can't even put my feelings and thoughts into words about this book tbh. there's a lot here I could try to unpack, but it's hard because it got personal. let's just say, the author knows how to pluck at the deepest parts of people's hearts and souls and is so good at weaving them into stories that stay with you.