I received an ARC through Netgalley courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I went into 'The Project' with high expectations and unfortunately, it did not live up to them. I had just finished one of Courtney Summer's other books 'Sadie' and loved it when I heard about 'The Project' and thought that the plot sounded intriguing. I figured this would probably be a 4-star read just like 'Sadie' because it would contain a plot revolving around the bond between sisters with the bonus of it also including cults, but the relationship between Lo and Bea was practically non-existent we were never shown what their relationship was like. The cult aspect of the story like the relationship between Lo and Bea was bland and rushed. If you were looking for a dark and gritty YA novel 'The Project' just isn't it, you are better off reading the author's other book 'Sadie'.

I *HAD* to read this based on the description. I mean - complicated relationship between sisters, family tragedy, trauma, AND A CULT - yes, please.

On the surface, The Unity Project does all the right things - feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, helping damaged people heal, and creating a loving community... but of course it's a goddamn cult.

I loved how the story transitioned back and forth in time between Bea and Lo's perspectives and how it showed the way cults lure people in when they are at their most vulnerable.

This is only my second Courtney Summers book. I read "All the Rage" and wanted to like it more than I did - and somehow missed reading "Sadie" (which is is being remedied immediately), and I'll happily read anything she writes from here on out.

Takeaway message: DON'T JOIN A CULT, EVEN IF (ESPECIALLY IF) THE DUDE IN CHARGE IS HOT.

(IG review will be posted closer to pub date and link will be added)

When you’re as big of a fan of Sadie as I am and hear that Summers is writing a new book, you have to have it.

This was a dark, twisty and thrilling exploration of manipulation and cults in a distinctly Summers style. It delves into loneliness and what pushes people into falling into a web of abuse and manipulation from which they cannot escape. While I don’t believe this is Summer’s strongest work, I still can’t wait to add it to my shelf.

Creepy cult and estranged, orphaned sisters -- The Project has all the makings of a suspenseful mindbender. . . Yet, it falls short for me. The story jumps back and forth in time and between the sister's perspective. If the chapters were marked with the sister's names, it would be easier to track. The story unravels slowly and I didn't feel invested until the last 1/4 of the book. For pacing, and the fact that the characters are all adults, I wouldn't pick this for a top YA pick.

The Project was eerie and believable. Courtney Summers's writing pulled me in immediately. This book pretty much punched me in my religious trauma.

As the author of a podcast all about dark and horrific fiction, i've read my fair share of cult-oriented tales over the last twelve months. They seem to be a little in vogue; I wonder if it's something to do with the big orange Jim Jones in the White House?

Anyway, Courtney Summers' The Project is marketed as a YA take on the theme. I'm never quite sure where the boundaries of YA and general fiction give way, but I can't see how anything in this novel disqualifies it from an adult readership. Without going into the plot, it details in tight, psychological insight, the way in which the vulnerable and lonely can be exploited by a charismatic man. It examines belief vs delusion, obsession and fixation, and asks all kinds of questions about why rational, intelligent people behave in ways entirely contrary to their nature. All of that rich thematic stuff is wrapped inside a simple tale of a young woman hunting for her lost sister, with heartbreaking, devastating consequence.

The prose is some of the best i've read in a while. The tone is enjoyably unpredictable and, though this book sits on a lot of '2021 horror' lists, it is quite a different beast to y0ur average cult thriller. The author has gone for the very definition of the slow burn, in which the true horror lies in all that you havent been told, and which you only glimpse in the last few pages.

Not a book if your looking for high-octane thrills. But as a character study of grief and loneliness and belief, it's an absolute corker.

I had mixed feelings about The Project by Courtney Summers. On the one hand, it was very well written and the characters well developed. On the other hand, I found it easy to put down, with a plot lacking in believability and without much of a payoff at the end.

Lo is seriously injured in the hospital, having just been in the same car accident that killed her parents. Her sister, Bea, keeps vigil, and then suddenly disappears to join The Unity Project. She leaves Lo in the care of their great aunt, but Lo is determined to find her sister and expose The Unity Project for the cult it is.

The Project is told in alternate timelines between Lo and Bea, and Summers does a nice job of paralleling the characters. But it just didn't keep my attention the way I was hoping it to.

MY RATING - 2.5

Whew. I have to admit, it took me a while to actually start this one. I must have been feeling brave when I chose it, because cult-thriller is not my go-to choice.

I’m having a hard time with this one. I know it’s good at what it is. But I don’t know if I liked it. I’m also not really feeling like I’m supposed to like it. I guess in the end, I’m rating based on the following:

- The book focuses on two main things— family division, and the ways we will seek to fill the gaps left from the divide. And it does this in ways that I’m noticing even more as I think on it now.
- The characters are not very likeable, but you don’t necessarily dislike them for it.
- I felt uneasy reading it; which is pretty much how you should feel.
- There is a good dog. (Yes this was the deciding factor between star ratings.)

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a few days to let this book sink in and decide how I want to review it.

This was a very low and slow burn, that ended in a small explosion. I wanted more. I wanted more action, more character development that gave me more “why”. I found it too hard to relate to the characters and their motivations which made the story extremely unbelievable.

I’m a Courtney summers fan so I’m assuming this book just wasn’t for me.

This was devastating. While not my usual subject matter, Summers drew me in and would not let me go. As the reader, I, at times, could not tell who was right and who was wrong. My terror for Lo was a real, palpable thing that kept the pages turning. I am always stunned by how masterful Summers is with manipulating the reader right along with the narrator--and how each time I think she's hit the pinnacle of her craft, she takes it up another notch. Incredible writing and plotting. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

The Project made me feel super uncomfortable - which I feel like was the entire point. I feel like my expectations were a little too high after adoring the author's previous novel, Sadie, and I sadly did not enjoy this one quite as much - but I also do not think that this is necessarily a bad book.

The Project follows sisters Lo and Bea and their experience with The Unity Project in dual timelines. Reading from Bea's perspective put you in the cult and under the spell of the leader, Lev, and from Lo's you get to see the dark reality of the situation. I definitely empathize with both sister's in feeling lost and then seemingly found in The Project, I just feel like the storyline just didn't quite click with me.

I am so bummed, because I was expecting something more from this and unfortunately The Project did not deliver. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset? Maybe I am a natural skeptic and non-believer so it wasn't easy for me to go along on Bea and Lo's journey with The Unity Project? I don't know. But Summers Sadie is a book that wrecked me and stayed with me and The Project just left me wanting more.

The Project follows two storylines and two timelines: 2012/2013 with Bea Denham right after her parents are killed in a car accident and her sister Lo is critically ill from the crash; 2017/2018 with Lo Denham as she is trying to investigate The Unity Project and find her sister. I really loved Bea's sections - she is just at her lowest point and it is easy to see how Lev becomes a beacon for her. There were many things that frustrated me, and it's hard to share without spoilers, but I think I am just a skeptical person so not many of the twists felt surprising. Overall, I am bummed but I think folx should read it and decide for themselves.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Mystery Book Club for my ARC to review

I'm not sure where to start with this review. I will say that I couldn't put the book down. It was one of those reads where you need to know what happens. Trying to figure out what happened and piecing the story together was crazy and uncomfortable. This book deals with cults and I find cults to be really creepy. The manipulation that you find in cults is definitely present in this book. It's what makes this book sometimes hard to read because you're not sure what's real. It's a compelling read, but I hated that I wasn't sure of reality. I enjoy Courtney Summers writing style and look forward to reading more from her. Yes, I read Sadie, so I kind of knew what I was getting into with this book.

Bea and Glory "Lo" Denham lose their parents at an early age. Over the years, Bea finds herself involved in a cult, The Unity Project, while Lo works hare to make a life for herself. Lo has always wanted to be a writer and works at a magazine where she eventually comes in contact with a gentleman who's son was a member of the cult. Having witnessed the suicide of a cult member and the knowledge her sister is a part of The Unity Project, Lo fights to investigate the group and reunite with her sister.

The story is intriguing and interesting. While I went into the book thinking it would focus on the inner workings of the cult, I discovered the story is more about family and the effect the cult has on relationships. I addition, readers are led on a journey as Lo discovers and questions her life and everything she knows.

I really enjoyed Summers writing style. It's very engaging. The narrative does jump between Lo and Bea. I think by doing so it really brought insight to the characters and their experiences. I did have some difficulty with how the story jumps back and forth in the timelines. At times, the transition is a little abrupt. As someone who prefers a more linear story, I found this was not my favorite. Of course, this is more my personal preference.

Overall, it was a good read. The plot offers more than just the cult story line and Summers does a great job of creating characters that are realistic and complicated.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy and the opportunity to read and review The Project by Courtney Summers.

Lo Denham is a 19-year old girl who has been through a lot. When she was younger, she was in a car crash and she lost both of her parents. After fighting for her life at the hospital, her elder sister Bea leaves her to join a group that calls themselves “the Unity Project”. Lo has never seen her sister again and when she contacts the Project, they tell her Bea doesn't want to talk to her.

When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees this as the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea. She decides to investigate the Unity Project.

The story is told by two different narratives. The first storyline is told by Lo in the present day. The second storyline is from Bea's point of view and takes place a few years prior. Bea's narrative tells how she came in contact with and joined the Unity Project.

I think stories about cults are fascinating. This book was one of the most anticipated reads. I loved Sadie by Courtney Summers and I couldn't wait to read her new novel.

The Project starts of strong. I was immediately engrossed in the story and I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what happened to the Bea, what was going on inside of the Unity Project and what Lo was about to uncover. I really wanted to love this book. But, unfortunately, I had some issues with it.. The story feels rushed. I didn't get the choices Lo made and I wish her character development was a bit more put together at some points. I didn't understand her motives and actions. Also, the ending wasn't what I hoped it would be. There are a lot of open questions.

Canadian author Courtney Summers leaves behind her young adult track record to launch into a nail-biting thriller in THE PROJECT, laying out terrain that at the same time feels deeply familiar. As
"Lo"—Gloria Denham—insists that her office position for a revelatory news magazine should give her a chance to try her own hand at exposing something (would a religious cult do?), the levels of internal and external threat pile up in this hotly paced and frightening thriller. (See the link for the rest of the review -- Feb. 2 release.)

The Project. You had me at cults. Lo and Bea are two sisters torn apart after a tragedy hits home. While one is recovering, another is saved by The Unity Project.

I really enjoyed Lo and Bea’s perspectives as they were able to be understood who was who. Cults truly drive families apart, and it’s amazing how easily this was crafted. I enjoyed the shocking twists and turns of the story and was able to really understand how they played out eventually.


The part that fell flat for me was the transitioning. One moment we were talking to Lev, the next she’s in the office at her work? I was really confused if I missed a transition or if something was missing from the ebook version. I felt like Lo changed so quickly, I definitely missed something. One day she wants justice, now she’s sleeping with her sisters lover? Is that not fishy that she would leave her daughter? I thought maybe she was in a dream or a coma from the car accident, but I was wrong. I think maybe if this was a physical ARC I may have been able to follow along better?

Overall, The Project was just okay. It wasn’t jump for this ASAP like everyone’s notion of Sadie was. The complex relationship between the sisters was wonderfully written and held the plot together. Thank you St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the gifted copy. This is out Feb. 2nd.

As soon as I heard that Courtney Summers was writing a book about a sister trying to get her sister out of a cult, I knew I needed to read it. The Project did not disappoint. It was the perfect mixture of a creeping suspense and mystery.
This book gives you the sensation like you are part of the cult, because you aren't sure whether it is a cult or whether it's truly bad until the end of the book. I did not want to put this book down because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next to all of the characters.

This book revolves around a cult, which means that I am there. But even more than that this book features the relationship (or lack of) between two sisters. One sister is a journalist and the other has been with the cult for years. When a man comes forward claiming the cult killed his son, Lo sees this as a way to get in and find out what happened with her own sister. But it turns out there is much more than meets the eye.

This book was very interesting, so much so that I wish that it was longer. I wanted to know even more about their relationship, the cult, everything and was so surprised when it was already wrapping up. But the story is so intriguing and one that had me racing through every page.

Oh my. I don't know where to start because I am afraid I will spoilerize. I just want you to know if you love thriller/suspense books, stories about cults and having your heart ripped out and handed to you, then this is the book for you! Okay, maybe that last part doesn't quite sell it but really, this is a phenomenal book. I finished it last weekend and have been thinking about it since then. Just like with Sadie, Courtney Summers again has a way of making you feel all the emotions and making you think about the story. I had to tell myself with this one when I was getting mad and emotional about some of the characters that it's a book. However, knowing that Ms. Summers researched and used actual cult activity in her book didn't help me in the long run. I know it's only January but this is by far my favorite book of the year and while I have many anticipated reads coming, I have a feeling it will not be surpassed.