I could not stop reading this book. It’s super intense in all the best ways. And it seemed like with every chapter, the stakes only got higher. I really needed to know what would happen.

The beginning confused me a little bit. It begins with Bea’s point-of-view, told in third person present tense. Then alternates between her point-of-view and Lo’s (first person present tense), and once I got that far, I felt like I found a rhythm.

THE PROJECT has so many great things. I loved the juxtaposition of the zeal for writing news at SVO, the magazine where Lo works for a charismatic, energetic boss against the magnetic change-the-world attitude of the Unity Project. It felt like a sly contrast showing the difference between a cult and a passion project, if that makes sense??? And also a great way to show some important things about Lo’s character that make some of the events late in the story make sense.

So the Unity Project… at first I was a little creeped out because the leader uses a lot of bastardized Christian ideas (which some cults do, so it’s pretty real). As a Christian myself, it’s always icky to see something be twisted like that, but I felt like as the story went on, it was so clear that the Unity Project not only wasn’t preaching Christian doctrine, but wasn’t pretending to, either. For some reason that made a difference to me.

Anyway– Lo and Bea. Okay, so I’m a huge, ginormous fan of sister stories, and this one is no exception. I loved that their relationship wasn’t perfect, and that they always seemed kind of like seesaw sisters? You know, where one is up when the other is down, never really synced up with each other. But through the narrative, you see that they love one another and how their lives impact each other, even through the time they’re not close.

One note on age range: Though I think this is billed as young adult fiction and Lo is seventeen (I think Bea is in her early twenties), I’m not sure I’d put it on the shelf with YA. I think the themes and attitudes of the characters place it more solidly in a new adult age group.

On the whole, THE PROJECT pretty much swallowed me whole. I felt like I read it all wide-eyed, barely blinking because I didn’t want to stop reading even long enough for that! It’s got some heavy content, so be aware, but if you enjoy darker suspense novels, this is a top notch one.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

While I really enjoyed this story, I found the format super confusing. I'm hoping that it is just the structure of the ARC instead of what the printed copy will look like. There were moments when the time in the narrative changed drastically from one sentence to the next with no transition to clue the reader in. Same with flipping between Bea and Lo being the narrator.

Overall the story was interesting, and I was invested in Lo's digging into The Unity Project's background. I was definitely hooked in finding out what was really happening and if Lev was running a cult or not. I wasn't fully expecting the story to take the dark turn it did, but it does make sense.

This was my first Summers novel and I can see why Teens love their books. I purchased this for my library and I'm sure patrons will enjoy it.

I was able to access this new title in two formats--both text and audio. It is INCREDIBLE in both formats! I have been a fan of Courtney Summers for a while and was excited to be able to review this one.

The Project is a creepy, mysterious cult story that starts out a slowly but builds with perfect pacing. The author does an excellent job of reflecting trauma and how a single event can have such divergent impacts on those involved. An excellent read and a must-purchase for public libraries.

I obtained a review copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and also an audiobook preview from Libro.fm.

Interesting thriller - 3.5 out of 5

Lo, a 19-year-old aspiring writer, works as an assistant at a news outlet. She’s looking for her big break when she gets involved with The Unity Project, a religious group that her older sister Bea has been in for the past few years. Lo hasn’t heard from Bea in years and continues to suspect that The Unity Project is no this ‘do-good’ organization that it portrays, but truly a dangerous cult that she is looking to expose. Will Lo get the exclusive scoop on them or meet a fate worse than expected?

I went into this book expecting to like it more than I did. The dual POV between Lo & Bea works well and keeps the book moving along. It did get confusing sometimes though of who was in 1st person. Definitely twists & turns, but not as compelling as I’d hoped.

Thank you Courtney Summers, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheProject #NetGalley

OVERALL: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s everything I was hoping it would be. Courtney Summers has a unique way of writing where she gives you a bunch of details and you think you understand it all, but then suddenly towards the end everything clicks together in a completely new way.
PLOT: There were so many twists and turns in this book. Every time I thought I was at the height of the action the pace would pick up more. And it all climaxed in this horrifying, breathtaking moment when everything fell into its place.
STRUCTURE: The non-linear timeline was really effective for this book. The way different details were revealed from the different POVs was really interesting! Summers basically had two timelines going at once and yet it never got confusing.
THEME: Obviously this book explores a lot of themes about cults, but it also explores family and authenticity and truth and legacy and trauma and identity...Summers wove it all together beautifully.
CHARACTERS: This book contains my most hated character and yet he is also a really good character. Lev is one of those characters who you absolutely despise as a person but are intrigued by as a character. And I really liked the character development present in Bea and Lo. Both girls are complex and layered and not “likable”/palatable but I love them so much.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I was underwhelmed by Sadie and The Project. I typically am interested in stories involving cults but this one didn't seem to be that unique to captivate me. It's hard to imagine a girl who just lost her parents would leave her surviving younger sister. I know the whole point of cults is that they prey on weak individuals who feel alone in the world but I couldn't wrap my head around this particular scenario. As a journalist, she wanted to expose and exploit this organization but as a reader I still felt very confused.

If you are interested in a story about cults and more importantly what they do to families and relationships, definitely pick this up! Courtney Summers writes a heartbreaking story about two sisters and their search for belonging.

Lo Denham is on her own after her parents die and her sister Bea joins a cult. Most people believe that the Unity Project and it’s leader Lev Warren are incredible - but Lo is not in agreement. After a man claims that her son’s suicide was the fault of The Unity Project, Lo decides that it is time to prove her suspicions about the cult that took her sister from her. Instead, Lo finds herself struggling to determine what is real and true about herself and her sister.

The story is told alternating between the two sisters, making you always want a little more from them. Courtney Summers is an incredible writer and she manages to make you feel for both of the characters as if you know them.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my Advanced Reader Copy.

When I saw Courtney had a new book coming out I was ready! Had to request it as soon as it was available on NetGalley, hoping I get it. Not knowing what it was about as I didn’t care, I loved Sadie so much! Safe to say it was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and I was approved on NetGalley!

I found out it was about a girl looking for her sister that got tied in with a cult before I started reading. That is what made me keep reading, sounds very promising and interesting but it was not executed well at all.

I really couldn’t get into the story in the beginning but I don’t like giving up right away. I feel like I missed the whole main reason as to how the sister even got tied up with the cult but I didn’t care to go back because I’m sure it was going to be repeated again and the book was so boring I did not want to go back and re-read. It was told in past and present POV’s which was confusing at times and made the story even more boring. I don’t think I have ever been this bored throughout a story I was truly waiting for it to end. Which, the ending was very predictable, I don’t know who wouldn’t have seen that…

I wish this could have gotten more into cults. Maybe it didn’t because it is YA, but as the cult being the main part of the story, I felt like it could have been way better, more descriptive.

With that being said, I still will pick up anything this author writes in the future! I also love this cover! I did buy a copy to support the author and publisher!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read The Project!!

Courtney Summer has done it again! This book was GREAT! I loved how we were able to take in Lo and Bea's story in such a roundabout way as bounced between their two stories. I think this book was almost perfectly crafted. Our knowledge about cults told us that we couldn't believe anything Lev told Lo but he did it in such a way that you almost couldn't blame her for wanting to believe them. It was crazy to watch Lo fall deeper into their clutches while Bea was fighting desperately to leave.
I'll tell you, I'm normally pretty good at spotting the ending from a few chapters out, but that "phone call" between Lo and Bea threw me. I guess that's a testament to the mental state Summers was able to put us in.
This was a great read. I've already ordered it for the librarians of CT. I look forward to reading her next book!

Courtney Summers has devastated me again—I read this book in essentially one sitting, it was so gripping and immersive. The dual timeline is executed flawlessly, the characters are messy but fully human and relatable, the twists unexpected, and the investigation into cults fascinating and nuanced. One of my best reads of the year so far!

THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers
3/5

Netgalley Review Copy

Lo Denham has not had any easy life, after surviving a fatal car crash that left her parents dead her sister Bea abandoned her to join a special group that call themselves ‘Unity Project’.
When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming the Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with her sister once more.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I have to say it was good, despite our main character Lo being low key annoying. This story is told from the past in Bea’s perspective and present day from Lo’s perspective. And we really got to see how quickly both sisters got caught up in this group and how easily they were manipulated. It was almost maddening but had a good time reading this

Courtney Summers is a very talented author and I look forward to every book of hers. This was no exception.

I loved the book. I find books about cults incredibly fascinating.

The story alternates between two parallel stories in different timelines and you are hooked from the start. The story is told in present-day from the POV of Lo and in the past by Bea.

We follow the sisters as they go through trauma, loss and of course, the cult and its leader, Lev Warren and his 'family, The Unity Project.
I really liked and enjoyed knowing about the sisters, their thoughts, their loyalties, their secrets, their motivations, their love for one another.

This is a haunting read and Courtney Summers doesn't disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since I was blown away by the gripping mystery of Sadie, I've been super excited to read more by Courtney Summers and so I was thrilled to get my hands on The Project. A book about sisters and a cult? Didn't know I needed it but I definitely wanted to read it! I'd seen some mixed reviews about the book prior to picking it up so I went in with tempered expectations and I'm glad that I did because if I went in hoping for another book that'd give me the 'Sadie vibes' I would've been so sorely disappointed. As it is, the pacing ended up being a bit more of a slog than I anticipated but I'm glad that I kept reading and finished it. Also, the cover is STUNNING and I'm loving all the promo artwork and creative content that's being shared for it!

The story is told from two perspectives and timelines. We have Lo, whose storyline was told in first-person in the present day of the story, and we had Bea, whose storyline was told in third-person and covers the 'flashback' portions of the story leading up to the present. The switch in perspectives honestly confused me at the beginning and at various moments throughout the story but I did come to appreciate the clear division of voices that really fit the situations both sisters found themselves in. Bea's voice came across to me as somewhat hazy and almost dreamlike, as if she was giving herself over to any emotion that would catch her and let it sweep her away, which I think embodied the vulnerability of her state of mind caused by her grief. In contrast, Lo's voice was very raw and on-edge which fit her angry and lost persona that she clearly still struggled with years after the accident. Where Summers really excelled was in her portrayal of the sister bond. She captures just how messy the relationship between sisters can be with feelings of jealousy and resentment but also unbounded love and devotion. These two loved each other fiercely but also feared that love, and in the end it did lead them down a toxic and devastating path.

That said, although I could empathise with both sisters, I didn't feel any particular attachment to either of them and the same could be said about the other characters in the book. This was perhaps also influenced by the fact that I felt the same way about the book overall; like it was just "okay" and I felt indifferent about it. Where the story felt most underwhelming to me was the plot. It's not the fact that it was a slow-burn mystery, because I do enjoy those, but as the story plodded on I didn't really feel any pull to it. I read because I wanted to see what happened but I didn't feel invested in the outcome. In fact, I was able to predict major parts of how the plot would unfold and so that element of surprise wasn't there for me, but I kept hoping that there would be something MORE--like a bigger or more impactful climax. I admit, there were small moments when I questioned whether The Project was really "that evil" because of how softly Summers came at it, and maybe her point was to show how they slowly work under your skin before revealing their ugly, so kudos to her for doing that. Still, the bigger and more realistic (pessimistic?) part of me never doubted that Lev was super creepy and that their front of "we're just trying to help people who need it in the name of God" was a load of bull.

Ultimately, while there were elements that I appreciated about Summers' writing and characterisation, I found the pace too slow and the plot a little too underwhelming and it didn't have the punch that I hoped for. Still, I'm glad that I gave it a try and I'd still look forward to trying other books by Summers in the future!

I received this in advance from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to love this like I loved Sadie, but for me it just fell flat. For me it wasn’t gripping, it just seemed like a regurgitation of headlines we’ve read about in other religious “organizations.” It wasn’t poorly written, in fact it was very well written and easy to read. It just didn’t live up to the hype for me.

This book was a thrill to read, and helped me out of a reading slump. I wanted to know where Bea was and what happened to her as much as Lo. The way we slowly see Lo succumb to the charm of Lev Warren was well done, and the entire time I was thinking "no, no not Lo too", especially as it paralleled with Bea starting to realize what was truly happening. Courtney Summers is definitely becoming one of my anticipated authors.

3.5 stars.

Lo Denham barely survived the accident that killed her parents. Bea thinks her sister’s miraculous recovery is because of Lev Warren. She finds hope in him and his beliefs. Lev is the leader of The Unity Project, a religious group that some people see as a saving grace while others as a cult. Bea gives up everything to join them, even her sister.
Several years later Lo, as a young journalist is determined to save her sister from The Unity Project by writing an expose on them. But her plans take her in the path of its leader, who’s going to make her question the truth.

The story is beautifully written. This is my first book by Courtney Summers and I really enjoyed her writing style, her words flowed across the pages.

The narrative goes back and forth in time, making sure we follow both Bea and Lo’s perspectives. I liked this a lot about the book at first because I really wanted to know what got Bea drawn to The Unity Project, but the more I read the less interested I became in Bea.

I’m more a character driven person, and I was a little disappointed because none of the characters stood out to me. I found Lev fascinating but I didn’t believe anything that came out of his mouth, maybe because of my scepticism. The only character I cared for is Emmy.

The plot is very slow, we don’t get a lot until about 80% in the book. I don’t mind a slow burn plot if it’s well written. I was waiting for the punch but it took so long and once it was delivered, it just wasn’t enough. I expected more from the book. I wanted it to go a little deeper and darker into the cult. I was waiting to be shocked, or to be surprised but it never happened.

What I loved most about this book is the writing, which is amazing. This book definitely isn’t a light read it touches on some serious topics.

Even though I expected more from this book I still recommend it. I think it would be great for younger audience.

TW: childhood trauma, physical abuse, child abuse, car crash, death of a parent, amnesia, suicide, cults.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy.

I really loved Sadie by Summers and was excited to read this title. Unfortunately, it took me a really long time to get into this book. I was maybe 75% through before I was excited to keep reading. The book was slow and strangely formatted (perhaps the formatting was a function of my copy being an advanced reader copy), regardless this book wasn't all that I'd hoped. That said, the story's villain was nicely chilling. Readers interested in dark, rambling mysteries with religious undertones may find this novel to their liking.

The Project was an enticing read. Lo was a likeable female lead who was bitter from all she had endured so far in her life. As she entered The Project to search for her missing sister, she never once envisioned herself getting sucked in. She like so many others before her, did not know the suffering coming her way. I enjoyed this read, but still have a few unanswered questions and needs as a reader at the end. I would have loved a few more descriptive details about the inner workings of The Project and an explanation as to how Lo ever made it out.

Thought provoking tale about cults and how they ingratiate and manipulate people. Very interesting, pacing was somewhat inconsistent.

I'm a fan of Summers but struggled with this book. The idea of a book focused on cults grabbed me but the narrative was tough for me to get in to. Overall, a decent read, but just not what I was looking for. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.