Bea and Lo Denham sisters are very close until their parents die in a car crash that Lo narrowly survives.
Bea, falls into depression after the accident and falls into the arms of The Unity Project.
A religious community that embraces her as she abandons her sister to the care of their great aunt.

Fast forward years later - alone in the world after the death of their aunt and working as a secretary for a prestigious journalist, 19-year-old Lo is determined to unmask The Unity Project for what she believes it to be: a cult that indoctrinated her unwitting sister.

Thanks for the review copy. I’ve enjoyed other books by Summer more than this one but I will continue to read her books. I did learn a lot about cults.

I really enjoy Courtney Summers books and The Project was no exception. She deals with difficult topics in such a real and eye opening way. I felt that her portrayal of these characters trapped within a cult and Lo’s attempt to expose the cult for what it truly was, was very powerful and emotional. Great book, great concept, great execution!

I tried a few times to get into this book but haven’t been able to. I definitely think it’s just a me thing and others will love it

I would describe this as a cult thriller: Lo, an inspiring journalist, lost her sister to The Unity Project 6 years ago and hasn’t her from her since. Now, she has an opportunity to expose The Project through a new case at work, but she gets herself in too deep trying to figure out the details of the past as well as solve the current

Now, I’ve realized that cult thrillers just aren’t my thing. I realize the manipulation it takes to influence others to join, but for this to be believable for me, it needs to be very well done. I just wasn’t convinced that The Project was ever anything any unwilling participant could be sucked into, so the rest of the plot just fell flat for me. It was pretty twisty but I’m not sure any of the twists were all that surprising. There was also a back and forth between timelines and characters that I often had to stop and double check whose narrative I was reading because I don’t think the voices were that distinct. There is also a scene that really did it for me (in a bad way) - I’m not sure the purpose for including it because I can’t quite understand the intent and it felt out of character (sorry, being vague to avoid spoilers). My final qualm was her age - she’s supposed to be this (19 yo) young journalist prodigy? But the choices she makes throughout the book were so naive and immature for someone with such high regard.

Overall, I think I had a fine time while reading this, but reflecting, there wasn’t much that I actually enjoyed. I’ll give this one 2.5⭐️ but if you enjoy this theme of a thriller, it might work better for you.

I tried multiple times to read this one. The synopsis intrigued me but sadly it just was not for me. I did not connect with the writing the way that I hoped to and after a few times trying to read i came to the conclusion that this one just wasn’t for me.

**thank you to the publisher for the review copy**

ARC was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Hospitalization, mentions of automotive accident, loss of parents, grief, scene of suicide, occult themes. depictions of anxiety & panic attacks, trauma, abandonment, complicated child birth recounted, and potentially more!


Before I dive into my thoughts, I did pick this up again recently and dnf this book for the second time in a row. I also rounded up my rating to 4 stars, but I do have my actual rating listed above. While I love this author's work, this book just hits too close to home with cult themes concerning my spouse. This isn't a bad book, just not a book for me, personally.

This book is eloquently written and touches on some scary, serious themes when it comes to cults. If you're someone like me who deep dives into the dark, scary, spine-chilling, spooky topics in your spare time then you'll most likely enjoy reading this book. The way the characters are written are so captivating and the way the sense of dread is built upon will bring goose bumps to your skin. This book does have duel perspectives and that may be hit or miss for some readers, but I thought it was very well written and the different tones for each perspective just adds to the atmosphere. I almost wish I would have listened to the audiobook because I feel that would have added to the atmosphere and the reading experience. There's also some really great quotes laced through this book. I also fell in love with the bond between the two sisters. I always love a really strong sibling relationship and the way Lo refuses to give up on her sister, it was just everything to me. Overall, this is a very fast paced read and like with all the books from this author, they just suck you in. I think many readers will enjoy this book especially with how easily it is to get pulled in, but I also want to recommend caution to those who may have endured cult happenings and may be triggered by some of the themes in this book.


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.

This wasn't too bad of a read, I just don't think it was for me. After reading Sadie, I was really excited for this one. Unfortunately, I had a hard time reading it. I'm still not quite sure how I even feel about it. But I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Courtney Summers!

I read/listened to Sadie and really liked it, so I was excited when I saw Courtney Summers had another book coming out. I was disappointed in this book. I did finish reading it, but when reading feels like a chore and not a pleasure - it's not enjoyable. I really wanted to like it, but the book was all over the place and I had to go back and reread to remember who characters were.

I thought I would give this YA book a try because I was hearing good things about it. I am not a YA reader, and this didn't help convert me either. I just didn't enjoy it like I thought I would. Maybe if you really liked YA novels you will like it, but it wasn't for me

*Thank you @stmartinspress for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

Everything about The Project is right up my alley, so I'm mad that I waited SO LONG to read it. I do want to mention first that I'm not sure how or why this book is marketed as Young Adult because the characters and nature of the book are definitely more into adult ages, but regardless, I had a great time with it personally.

We follow Lo and her spiral into a group called The Unity Project, a cult that her sister was once a part of and has since disappeared from. As she gets closer to the leader of the group, her perception of them begins to change until the truth opens her eyes to the sinister nature of The Unity Project and what they do to members who don't follow their rules and ways of life exactly.

I personally love reading anything and everything about cults, both fictional and real, so when I heard that this book definitely involved a cult, I was like, gimme. I knew something wasn't right from the first couple of pages and quickly became invested in Lo and her journey with The Unity Project. I was fascinated with The Project from start to finish and read it in less than two days because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I was a bit confused when it came to those last several pages before and during Part Five, but other than that, I was addicted and needed to know what would happen.

CW for sexual content, car accident, loss of loved ones, murder, abuse, brainwashing, ptsd, mentions of suicide, self-harm.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of The Project by Courtney Summers!

Lo Denham's parents died in a tragic car accident and Bea, her sister joined an elusive community known as the Unity Projects, which all in all Lo is used to being on her own. For the past six years, Lo has been trying to find ways to contact Bea to no avail. Lo researches the community and its leader, she will learn lives may be in danger and that secrets will arise.

I have been wanting to read a Courtney Summers book for a while (I even own Sadie, but I have not read it...) and I have been meaning to read The Project for a while now. Now has finally come and I picked up this book on audio.

The Kayla in 2023 is definitely different than the one in 2021 when it comes to reading tastes. I know I say this in a ton of thriller reviews, but thrillers are now such a huge struggle for me nowadays. I truly want to love thrillers, but most of them do not engage me or are predictable.

When it comes to The Project, it did not hold my attention and cause me to be intrigued. I was not trying to guess the "what if" and "what may happen" scenarios. I was not even spending my time trying to come up with predictions on what was going to happen. This book is definitely a slow burn type of thriller, but it felt way too slow for my liking, which is another reason I became disinterested at times.

The Project alternates between the perspectives of Lo (present day) and Bea (starting with the accident and with being in The Unity Project Cult) and I appreciated these alternating chapters to see the different perspectives, the lead up to everything, and to just to get to know the sisters.

This book does well at exploring cults as well as it can with this being a young adult book. Plus, the book does really well with covering grief and to simply survive the world/the environment you are in.

Overall, this was just an okay read for me.

The Project by Courtney Summers is a gripping and intense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story centers around Lo Denham, a young woman who is desperate to reconnect with her sister Bea after she joined an elusive community called The Unity Project following the tragic death of their parents.

When Lo is given the chance to gain access to Bea's reclusive life, she jumps at the opportunity, hoping that they can finally be reunited. However, as she delves deeper into The Project and its charismatic leader, she realizes that her own life may be in danger.

Summers masterfully weaves together a complex and layered story that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and complex, and the exploration of the themes of family, faith, and identity adds depth to the narrative.

The novel is told from alternating perspectives, adding to the tension and suspense. The pacing is excellent, with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

Overall, The Project is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will leave you thinking long after you turn the final page. Summers has crafted a masterful thriller that is sure to please fans of the genre.

This one was just not for me. Soooo depressing throughout. The ending had a little bit of light but as a whole, it made me sick to my stomach. So much death, sorrow, broken hopes and dreams. 2.5 rounded up.

Lo Denham is looking for her sister, Bea. She knows her sister is with the Unity Project, a religious organization that’s been called a cult. Lo decides to get close to the Project to find out why Bea won’t talk to her, but Lo finds out much more than that. Told through different perspectives on different timelines, readers get to learn about both Bea and Lo and how their stories begin to mirror each other’s. Courtney Summers has written an entrancing story about sisterhood, family, faith, and manipulation.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read Sadie and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this one. I was so disappointed when I started what felt like trudging through a chore of a book. It wasn't as captivating and it felt like something was just missing. The characters were two dimensional to me and it just felt like it was all over the place. I couldn't really get a feel for this one at all.

This books was so good!! The narrative was compelling, the characters were interesting and the build up was definitely worth it. The mystery and ambience of the story had me absolutely transfixed.

Courtney Summers is becoming an autobuy author for me!

Family trauma, religious cult, sisterhood, motherhood all wrapped up in this YA novel. I devoured it!

Thank you for the opportunity to read! This book was interesting and unique and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. The characters were well written and it made this a real page Turner.

The Project By Courtney Summers is another amazing book. Trying to find her sister after years of radio silence is a challenge and once the main character infiltrates The Project she soon comes to understand exactly why. A suspenseful read.