I love Courtney Summers and everything I’ve read by her up to this point and this book does not disappoint. When I heard she was coming out with a new book I immediately added it to my To Be Read list, no questions asked, no knowledge of the content. Then I found out The Project had a cult like theme and I was all in!! I love reading books or watching documentaries about cults, it fascinates me, so if you’re like me and enjoy that kind of stuff too then I’d definitely recommend this to you. It’s a bit of a slow burn in the beginning and you’re getting two points of view from the sisters with a timeline alternating between past and present but it all comes together so great in the end. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this.

The Project was a ride the whole way through. Deeply rooted in the effects of loss, abuse, and the human need for love, purpose, and acceptance, this story kept me on my toes about what was true and what wasn't from start to finish. Lo and Bea illustrate how we love and hurt our siblings and ourselves, and how reality can keep us from realizing our hopes and dreams, but love cannot be destroyed.

Violence: Moderate (domestic abuse)
Language: High
Drugs: None
Sex: Moderate

Courtney Summers beautifully mixes the style of journalistic writing with the intense and twisted emotions of being a character in the very story you're writing.

CW for book: manipulation, manipulation leading to sexual acts, depiction and discussion of physical abuse (generally, and specifically burning), depiction of a cult, mention of death, implied drowning, non-graphic depiction of suicide

additional warning: This review is full of spoilers, so if you haven't read the book, I would not recommend reading further. I normally try to make my reviews spoiler free, or if I do discuss spoilers to tag them within paragraph but there's just too much here to tag.

I am reluctant to admit that I didn't hate Lev. For about half of the book I figured if there was anything bad going on, it was within the inner workings, not him. Always love to see my distrust in instutions! Also, I was very thrown off by the dog trusting him, because I always have faith that animals Know Things.

This one hits home though because The Unity Project is a community run program that does actually help within the community, though eventually you see that it hurts as well. I like believing that are good things in this world, and 2020 has been how shall we say... hard. I've had to really come to terms with individual goodness vs. systemic goodness and The Project reflects that sentiment. It also hits home some of the complexities about any organized religion and the pros and cons with that.

The transition from angry skeptic to fairly devoted member felt a bit abrupt to me, but I imagine it was a very potent combination of being treated kindly and with value, and revisiting the trauma of her first accident. Don't like it but it didn't stick well so... ok.

I saw the weirdly complicated sexual relationships and I said "oh no its a cult... but maybe its still not a cult because Lev didn't ask for this" and then had to delete the second half of that note completely.

I'm still not sure that I have a full picture of the corrupt side of the Unity Project. All the twistier aspects are still confusing to me: what happened to Bea, how Lo got Lev, if the only trauma Lev imparted was the kind that mirrored his own... if there was genuine aid provided, or if it was all a lie. As with most of Summers' books, it's a mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I want to thank NetGalley for my free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Wow! I read this book quickly, in about two days. I have heard a lot of great things about this author, and now I know why. This is such a gripping and fast paced read. This is an enticing plot and it will reel you in from start to finish. I literally stayed up late last night just so I could see what would happen. The author makes you feel pulled into this Cult and you understand why the people are drawn to it. the whole writing theme feels panicked but keeps tugging you along. This book will stay with me for a long while!

My true rating for this book is probably 1.5 stars out of 5, because I just did not like it. I realize this is not the trending opinion, and that's okay. I'm sure some readers will find plenty to enjoy with this book. If you like stories about cults, the traditional "I gotta save ____ from that cult, but they won't let me get near ___, but I'll keep trying," then I'm sure you'll enjoy this read. It follows a predictable path, alternating past and present within sections, and sometimes switching character P.O.V.s between Lo and Bea. The format itself was confusing, as suddenly, without preamble or indication, I was suddenly reading a different time. I think sections should have been more clearly marked and separated to keep these shifts from being so abrupt and jarring.

Ultimately, I was just bored. I was bored after the first section, and I kept being bored. To keep reading was truly like rolling a boulder up a hill and such a chore. I was hoping for something new, fresh, and unique, but didn't get any of those things. All books aren't for everyone, and this is an example of that.

This book gives you an inside look at what it's like to be involved with a colt and the way a colt leader can manipulate other people's minds and souls to the point where they question everything about themselves and the way the world works. This story follows two different timelines involving two sisters, Bea and Lo, You get to read about the path that each sister takes, past and present. This book deals heavily with religion. I personally am not a huge fan of this but I understand why it needed to be in the book. I really did enjoy reading this book. I give it a 5-star rating and I plan on buying a copy when it comes out. Thank you, NetGalley, for putting this book in the read now section. This book is one of my most anticipated released books for 2021

The Project - Courtney Summers

A brief review by Trevor D. Stone

Overall rating: 3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*Trigger warning - abuse, violence, car accidents*

The Unity Project is an organization that prides itself on giving their many members a chance to atone for their sins while giving back to humanity as a whole, through community outreach and charitable work, and a sense of family that allows a member's soul to feel seen. So it is no surprise that after her parents die, Bea would seek comfort and join “The Project”. In doing so she leaves being her younger sister, Lo, who for the last six years tries to prove, not very successfully, that there is more to this group than meets the eye.

However after a man shows up at Lo’s place of work claiming that “The Unity Project murdered my son”, Lo finds herself on a path that she has never been able to before even imagine. The chance to interview the charming, caring, and mysterious leader Lev Warren with a deal; prove her suspicion or leave them alone for good.

As she spends more time with Lev, Lo begins to question herself, her sister, cults, and even the world around her. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn't know if she can afford not too.

I was allowed to read this book, provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel.

My first exposure to Courtney Summers’ writing was the audiobook of Sadie. Which to me, a huge murderino and true crime lover, was combining my two favorite things: book and true-crime podcast. So I was over the moon excited when I found that The Project was to be hitting shelves a year later. And now I sit here writing this review, only finishing the novel about 30 minutes ago.

My first impression of this novel was just how much I did not like Lo as a character. At first, she came across as just downright rude, angry all the time, and not really likable. But through the beautiful writing of Summers I was taken on a journey to show that our past and how we handle it can influence who we are in the future. So by bookend, I still had the same thoughts on Lo but I found peace in knowing why she became the person she was. In addition to that, I found the beginning to be rather disjointed and paced awkwardly, and not really enjoyable. But I continued and I was glad.

One major success of this book was the crafting of a community/cult. I have listened to many podcasts where a cult has been the topic of that episode and every time I find myself sitting there thinking, “how can anyone ever fall into this trap”. I mean think about the stories you’ve heard, relentless hours of manual labor, physical abuse, isolation from a former life, I mean it's a glowing sign saying “RUN AWAY”. But The Project is written in a perspective that allows you into the mind of those that may fall prey. That may be someone who’s been abused at home, or dealt with unbearable losses in their childhood, trauma from war, but each one has the same sense of loss in their hearts and they want to finally be seen. Which allows the door for communities/cults to provide the substance to fill those needs. And honestly, as I read this novel I understood, I felt the pull, they want, and the need. So my applause for Ms. Summers is needed.

But enough about those and onto the book itself. The pacing was interesting, seeing as how we have two narrators. A very active first-person narration from Lo and a very passive third-person narration from Bea. These two timelines, create a pull and tug in my heart that made me need to put the book down and breathe to reading as fast as I could to find out what happens next. Now it may have been because of the digital ARC I received but the story seemed to jump from one thought to the next in the matter of one sentence to another. I think this is due to the lack of chapters but in one sentence we are in the middle of a conversation and the next we find ourselves in a completely different scene entirely (but once I figured that out it was much easier to follow along).

Overall this book dives into what life is like after loss and what someone will do to feel seen. And in that vein, this book was a huge success. Sadly this book was not huge thriller suspense, and honestly did not have much, if any horror. So my likeliness to suggest this book may be low to the average reader. But to a young true-crime junkie or murderino, then this book is right up their ally.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 45% :(

I *loved* Sadie, and while cults have never been my main true crime/crime fiction area of interest, I was fully willing to give this one a try. However, the pacing is super slow, and the multiple time periods were confusing. The narrative bounced around so much that I couldn't feel invested in either sister or what was going on in their lives, and when I was nearly halfway and having to talk myself into continuing to read it, I knew it was time to jump ship.

Maybe there will be big edits between the eARC and the release...but if not, this is a pass.

This was a goodie. I had never read a Courtney Summers book before, and I had heard that this book was good, and talked about cults (i wanted to know more about cults, for some entirely weird reason). The book definitely delivered on the cult aspect, but failed somewhat on the character aspect. The main character fell flat at certain parts, and her escape out of the cults felt slightly anticlimactic. I had heard that Miss Summers was practically a god in the thrilling, eye popping escape, or death defying things. But, for me, that's where it fell flat. I will admit, MIss Summers definitely created a world that could be expanded on, and she could, in turn, create a good ass plot.

THE PROJECT is another intense, unsettling, and heart wrenching story from Courtney Summers, with a sister's relationship and a manipulative cult at the center of it. I liked seeing both the perspectives of Lo and Bea, and how we get to see both of them as they go on their journeys involved with The Unity Project. While I did feel that a couple of choices and decisions that Lo makes within the narrative felt a bit rushed, overall I thought that Summers did a good job of getting into a cult mindset and how master manipulators can have such sway over vulnerable people. Bea, too, had a compelling arc, and I really enjoyed seeing how hers and Lo's paths started in different ways and ended up both mirroring each other but also inverted of each other. The sisterly bond is always there, even if the interactions between Lo and Bea are few and far between, mostly relegated to flashbacks. Summers still portrayed them in ways that felt genuine and powerful. And The Unity Project itself clearly takes inspiration from NXIVM, though with sprinkles of other groups like Branch Dividians and Synanon, especially within their leader, Lev. It's a very creepy and eerie portrayal, and it works.

THE PROJECT is a good pick for those who can't get enough of cults in fiction or non fiction. Expect heaviness and unease.

If you are intrigued by the mysterious power a cult leader can have over someone’s life this is a book for you. Two sisters who are struck by a tragedy have a bond that cannot be broken, until a force enters their lives and changes them forever. This is a story you cannot put down. You will find yourself racing to the end to discover the truth. Excellent read!!!

This wasn't a winner for me. I found the narrative very confusing, especially at the beginning. The story starts moving between timelines and between Lo and Bea's stories before it ever really sets the stage for who the characters are, what has happened to them, and what their relationship is to one another (they're obviously sisters, but the state of their relationship is unclear). I found myself constantly questioning things that weren't intentional, such as whether one of them had died in the accident mentioned, whether one sister was impersonating the other, who was talking at any given time, etc Once I figured out what was going on, I was about 25% through and had lost interest. For some reason, I keep trying to read books about/set among cults and I guess I should just stick to nonfiction in regards to the subject, as novelized versions just aren't/haven't been as compelling.

I didn't even finish it. I got a quarter of the way through, and then decided to skim the rest. I'm glad I didn't bother reading it, based on what I saw. I was disappointed too because I had heard such great things about the author. I do still plan on reading Sadie. But this one was just not for me. I just couldn't get into the book, and I had no desire to pick it up and read it. All I wanted to know was what happened to Bea, and I guessed right.

Oh. Wow.

This is my third Courtney Summers book and I'm every bit as blown away as I was when I first read Sadie. Seriously - WHAT A RIDE.

I absolutely devoured this book, sped through it in a day because I just HAD TO KNOW what happens. The writing was so compelling and captivating and the characters so real and full of life that I felt part of the story. I've never really read much about cults and their members, so every plot twist had me gripped and I just couldn't stop reading.

Also can we just stop for one second to appreciate that gorgeous cover!

Lo can't believe it when the young man at the train station recognizes her, just before jumping in front of a train to his death. She's equally surprised when she finds out the man was associated with the Unity Project, the charity/outreach group to which she lost her sister many years ago. Lo's determination to get to the bottom of what is going on in the Unity Project is renewed, while also trying to reunite with her sister. Lo is shocked when Lev Warren, head of the Unity Project, grants her unlimited access to write a magazine piece about the group. This could be the break that she's been waiting for to jumpstart her career...

Will Lo find her sister? Will she expose the Unity Project for the cult that she believes it to be? Or has she been wrong about them the entire time?

I enjoyed Courtney Summers' Sadie, but was left feeling unsatisfied by the ending. Not so with The Project. While I initially had some difficulty connecting with Lo as a character, I soon felt for her - frustrated in her job, feeling lost and alone, and missing her sister. Summers' ability to show the inner workings of a cult, including how they seek out and groom their members is artful. I didn't want to put the book down as I became more engrossed in the story and invested in Lo and her search for the truth, her search for Bea. This story is hard to read at times, but compelling at the same time. One of the best books I've read this year.

3.5 stars.

The Project is an emotional mystery revolving two sisters - one of whom has joined a cult named “The Unity Project”. When a man approaches our protagonist, claiming that this cult murdered his son, she sets on investigating The Unity Project and, hopefully, reconnecting with her sister.

First of all, I love the way Summers envisions her scenes; to me they felt - in the first few chapters - very filmic, which I enjoyed. However, the more I turned the pages, the more it felt like there wasn’t any mystery to be solved. The story revolves around a cult, so once you become acquainted with the character, it becomes clear who the perpetrator is. Nevertheless, it’s not as black and white as it seems.

My personal dislikes about “The Project” include the fact that a) I struggled to connect with the two sisters, and b) that it leans strongly towards emotion instead of twists or thrilling moments. To me, when a thriller or mystery involves both emotion and suspense, either the latter needs to be at a higher dose or there at least needs to be a balance between both.

This might have lacked that spark that I encountered with Sadie, but it was definitely an interesting YA mystery that was very well-written.

This book is the latest thriller that will have you staying up all night!

The Project is told from the perspective of two sisters, Bea and Lo. A tragic accident claims the lives of both of their parents and leaves Lo in critical condition. Bea is devastated and turns for guidance and help with a cult leader Lev. Will their sisterly bond be enough to break Bea's fixation on Lev?

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and cult books.

4.5 stars

I've started biting my nails again and it's all Courtney Summers's fault!

I loved Sadie, and this was a big anticipated read for me, so I was so excited to see it was available on NetGalley. And I was NOT disappointed. Especially because, as someone who's been very into cults lately (@ The Vow what's up!!), I think Summers pulled off something really cool: she made a cult story surprising. Because look—when we consume any kind of cult media, we have a basic sense of where it's going (spoiler: disaster). But even though I predicted some of the bigger plot reveals pretty quickly, the writing is so good that I was DEVOURING these pages. There were moments where I was almost convinced that the terrible things I knew were coming wouldn't actually happen. But of course they did. Because Courtney Summers is a breaker of hearts and a shatterer of dreams. (In the best way.)

The main reason The Project is just shy of 5 stars for me was the ending: I just felt a little like something was missing. I love an ambiguous ending, and that last line gave me chills, but I don't know—I think I craved more of a resolution for what went down in the climax, or at least more time to settle into it.

Overall, The Project was a dark, powerful, and enthralling read, and it's cemented Courtney Summers as one of my favorite authors. If you're looking for a cult story with beautiful writing, achingly real characters, and a MUCH more compelling charismatic leader than Keith Raniere, look no further.

I could not get into this book, unfortunately. The premise seemed a bit all over the place for me. Did not finish.

This book was so much fun to read. Courtney Summer’s really delves into the psychology of cults and what it means to be loved and belong. Started off a little slow in the beginning, but quickened it’s pace halfway through.