After a horrific accident kills her parents Bea is determined to keep her little sister, Lo, and survivor of the accident safe. Lo has bad injuries and is confined to a hospital bed. Bea puts her faith in Lev Warren, the leader of The Unity Project. The Unity Project touts itself on helping others and using God's will to help people.. After Warren heals Lo she moves in with her great aunt. Seeing Bea has become a thing of want to Lo but she knows there is something dark and sinister that The Unity Project is hiding.

Lo does a deep dive and decides to take the deal from Warren to write a story about The Unity Project for the paper she works for. If she can prove her suspicions she can expose the group, if not she must finally leave them alone.

As Lo finds out more from current and past members she has problems trying to figure out what is real about her sister's life and what is not, With twists and turns on every page this book had me glued to every page!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for this ARC for a review.

I am the biggest fan of Courtney Summers – her writing superpower comes in the form of characters you relate to on many levels, however damaged they are, whatever their issues, this author brings real life in all it’s forms to the forefront of her stories and makes you feel every moment.

The Project is no different in that respect – Sister’s Lo and Bea are incredibly relatable, both in their sibling relationship with it’s huge divide and in their own personal journey’s. Those journey’s are informed during the story by The Project – a group run by the enigmatic Lev, a group that reaches out and helps the disenfranchised whilst offering it’s members a loving and inclusive home. But there is a darkness lurking beneath the good works, a darkness that will consume both Bea and Lo in very different ways..

I’ve read a few “Cult” stories this year but I don’t think I’ve read one that makes you question the veracity of the group you are reading about quite as much as this one does. The Project is innocuous, some would say much needed in our world as it is at the moment. This is not a predictable tale – not one where you will know pretty early what the truth of the matter is – as such it is a real page turner and as ever beautifully beautifully written. The author’s use of language to infer and apply emotion is second to none and this is a novel you will devour in short order.

Like “Sadie” before it, The Project will take you on more than one personal journey, offering layer upon layer of human nature’s best and worst. A clever and intelligent look at the cult of personality, it is powerful and often melancholy, scarily real but intensely immersive.

I loved it. The ending had me a little tearful and overall I think if you are going to read only one story with the cult premise in 2021 it should probably be this one.
Highly Recommended.

Solid premise and engaging story line, but there was something about the formatting in the kindle ARC copy that made it difficult to track perspective shifts and the dates.

Courtney Summers is scary-good. I've never read a thriller quite like this and it's blown me away! I think this book will have an incredibly wide appeal to thriller fans of all ages, and will leave everyone reeling. Fascinating depiction of cults and the ways people get sucked in, with an eerie mystery at the center. I loved it.

Heavy with atmosphere, dark, edgy and that “haunting” feel, THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers is a tale of manipulation, determination and the bond between sisters that has been stretched and pulled almost to its breaking point. It is a tale of how far one will go to save a sister lost in the world of a charismatic cult leader and his flock.

Don’t expect to be drawn into a story that will let you relax. This is brutal, raw storytelling that will stay with you long after that last page is turned. Can Lo save her long missing sister, her last living relative from the clutches of a cruel monster? Can she find her before Bea is lost forever? The Unity Project has many followers, both within its folds and from the peripheral edges of the society around it.

One young journalist will make it her mission to uncover the ugly truths at any cost, but first she must find her older sister, or what’s left of her.

Courtney Summers tells this tale in a stark and bold manner and it is spellbinding in its own horrific way.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Wednesday Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Written in a strange format; following two point of views & a non-linear time line. It got confusing at times, but it really worked. Sad, harrowing, even the atmosphere and setting add to the gloomy feeling. Not an easy read; it deals with a very strained sibling relationship after loss of their parents, how that impacts their lives and leads them down different paths, one involving a cult. Throughout the story you’re wondering what’s true and what’s not. Who’s to be trusted and who isn’t. Everyone is unreliable.

I'm a big fan of Courtney Summers and even though The Project wasn't my favorite of her books it was still a good read. I think for me that the problem was the book didn't really feel like it hit it's stride until the very end. If the same energy had been present earlier in the book this would have been a total knockout. I think if Lo had suspected a lot sooner that Bea was missing and gone to the project full time sooner it would have been more exciting. That being said I was really impressed with the writing and the story when Lol did start to fall for Lev.

This is a beautifully written, moving book about two sisters who are separated by tragedy and decisions. It is also a story of the the need to belong, to be accepted and seen and how that sometimes takes the form of what appears to be a cult.

My actual rating: 4.5 stars


This book was, in a word, subtle (in the best way possible).
Somehow, without me noticing, it wormed its way into my brain and wouldn't let go. I dreamt about it while I was reading it. I thought about it whenever I had to stop reading it.

The subtlety of this book is what I loved most about it. The suspense was clever-I kept catching myself thinking "Something isn't right here" and then changing my mind, thinking I made it all up. I felt like I went on the journey with Lo as she believed that the Unity Project was a cult, and then slowly began to learn about it in ways that made her question her own beliefs.

Speaking of Lo, I loved her as a main character. I loved that she was feisty and angry and hurting, and still somehow surviving despite the odds stacked against her. I loved how Summers wrote of the complicated relationship between Lo and Bea (even beginning the book on this note of the nuances of the nature of sisterhood). The little glimpses into Bea's story and past in between Lo's present gave me insights into both sisters-and the plot as a whole-that made the story deeper and richer.

Knowing both sides of the story as they happened for each sister also upped the subtle suspense in the book. We see Lo's beliefs about the Unity Project and then get transported into the past seeing Bea discover Lev and God and the Project for herself in ways that made me question if Lo was a reliable narrator. (Was she? Guess you'll just have to read and find out for yourself!)

The ending was the culmination of a book's worth of suspense, of not wholly knowing the truth until the last second. While the rest of the book was more subtle in its machinations, the ending was a gut punch that left me stunned.

The main thing that kept this from being a five star read was that it wasn't exactly fast-paced. I think the way it was written was exactly what the story needed, but there is a lot of backstory and dialogue -and not as much action as you would think for a book touted as a "pull-no-punches thriller." I would like to clarify, though, that the lack of action in the middle of the book by no means detracts from it. You need the dialogue and backstory. It keeps you from knowing what to believe, what's right or wrong about the Unity Project and Lev. It builds the suspense for the action of the climax, which then becomes that much more compelling because of what came before it.

All in all, this book was a great read. It examines the complicated relationships between family and faith, and how each person can view the same thing so differently. It examines the notion of truth and how it changes depending on the angle.

The Unity Project is a cult....or is it?


*I received a free electronic copy of this book from Netgalley
*Review also posted on Goodreads

Courtney's work always amazes me and yet again, she does it! This is a story about loss and grief. Two sisters who lose eachother and try to find their way back to eachother. How ones ability to charm can affect people.

Tragic

4.5 stars

“Having a sister is a promise no one but the two of you can make--and no one but the two of you can break.”

The Project is an addictive, compelling, and emotional read about the bond between sisters and those who prey on the vulnerable.

Lo and Bea Denham have always lived by the sisterly promise they made until their parents are killed in a car accident. Bea falls into the hands of an apparent cult called The Unity Project, whereas Lo is fighting to survive. 6 years later, Lo is determined to investigate The Unity Project with the hopes of reuniting with Bea, but what she unearths puts her life in danger.

This isn’t as much about The Unity Project/cults as it is about the family members who are trying to get their loved ones out of the cult. Moreover, it is also about loneliness and the desire to belong. On the surface, The Unity Project appears to be just an organization that does a lot of good for the community, and as Lo digs into her investigation she gets lured into their web.

The characters are the strength of The Project. Split between Bea and Lo’s voices, the reader is exposed to their fear, their desire to belong, and their love for one another. Lo holds the bulk of the narrative, whereas Bea has chapters interspersed here and there. Lo is a dynamic and vulnerable character. It’s hard not to feel for her. Her loneliness and desire to be seen by others is palpable. Additionally, Lev, the leader of The Unity Project, is a fascinating character to read about. I felt his power emanate through the pages. Other members who are part of The Project also have intriguing backstories. I wanted to know more about all of them!

The narrative switches back and forth between timelines starting before the accident to the present, to Bea’s time in The Unity Project. My one complaint is that transitions are abrupt and jarring.

From the very first pages, I couldn’t put this book down. Summers knows how to lure the reader in. I wasn’t sure exactly where this was headed, but the journey to the end was fascinating. I have a few questions concerning the ending, as a lot is left up to interpretation and imagination. Lo’s final confrontation with Lev is chilling and a scene I can’t get out of my head. The ending left me feeling stunned and heartbroken.

Overall, The Project is a well-written, emotional, and captivating read that I highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Courtney Summers spins a captivating tale about two sisters and their experience with The Unity Project and explores through their experiences what it means to be drawn into a cult.

Spoilers ahead!

I enjoyed reading this book very much. I found it compelling and easy to breeze through. I feel like the author wanted the true morality of Lev Warren to be dubious, but I never felt he was anything but a cult leader.

Perhaps what confused me the most was how easily Lon is manipulated by Lev. Sure, she is lonely (how does she not have any friends at all?) and she really wants to feel safe and secure, but she goes into her interview with Lev convinced The Unity Project is a cult. Nothing she sees convinced me it wasn’t a cult. Sure, it seems clean and altruistic from what she sees, but she knows first hand her sister left her when she was her most vulnerable, which was unlike Bea. Surely Lo would have done some cursory research on cults before heading out to interview Lev. At least she should have read up on the BITE model of authoritarian control. None of these things seem to happen. Perhaps Paul had a good reason to not make her a staff writer if she goes in half cocked like this.

Lo lost me as soon as she really got swept up in the cult, but somehow doesn’t really believe in God. If she doesn’t believe in God, how is she rationalizing a man who claims to be God’s redeemer? This isn’t explored. It just seems like she turns off her brain. It was disappointing.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the ending. It wraps up very quickly and it is not that satisfying. I wanted the sisters reunited. The justice pay off of The Unity Project was not that impactful compared to the way the sisters plot fell flat. It made my heart hurt.

Of the two sisters, Bea is the most compelling to me. I could empathize with her. I ached for her. I hated her ending.

I really did enjoy reading it, and my negative reactions are really coming from an emotional reaction because I really felt captivated by the story. I just wanted Lo to do better!

Two sisters survive a car crash that kills their parents. Bea credits the survival to the leader of the Unity Project. Lo thinks this is nothing but a cult. How far will you go to save your sister and expose the truth?

This was a fast-paced novel about grief, loss, and finding the truth. I highly recommend it.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of its beautiful and haunting cover. I’m glad to say it delivered a story that is just as dark and twisty as the cover suggests. Following the tragic loss of their parents, sisters, Lo and Bea Denham, become estranged when Bea joins The Unity Project, a large and well-known “community outreach” organization led by a charismatic man. Years later, Lo is working as a secretary for a tell-all magazine when she crosses paths with a man who claims The Unity Project is responsible for the death of his son. As Lo begins searching for answers, she finds herself following in her sisters’ footsteps in hopes that they will soon be reunited. This is the kind of book that slowly gets under your skin and creeps into your brain, leaving you feeling tense and shaken. The author successfully creates an atmosphere that feels both welcoming and menacing, mimicking the experience of joining The Unity Project. Alternating timelines and perspectives are used to gradually reveal the fates of both Lo and Bea, allowing the reader to connect with them both. I loved how their stories overlapped and eventually came together. This is young adult writing at its finest and I can’t wait to read more of Courtney Summers’ work. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

There was so much hype for this book in my circles, but I felt disappointed. It occupied this really weird space between YA and adult, and I'm not talking about new adult. The main character didn't finish high school due to a number of factors (including being orphaned), so she works as an assistant at an online magazine. But she's still...17, I think? You frequently forget her age due to her living alone, no family support, having a job, etc. Then there's the actual cult stuff, which can feel pretty adult. But I honestly don't think there's enough intrigue for it to be a true adult thriller. Idk, I just finished the reading experience feeling dissatisfied.

As soon as I saw that Courtney Summers was going to have a new book, I was super excited. She does not shy away from difficult topics and her newest novel is no different as she sets her sights on The Project, a cult with qualities reminiscent of many groups that stay in the headlines, including NXIVM and Scientology. You can easily feel a lot of empathy for Lo, a young woman struggling to find her place in the world after experiencing so much loss. Like so many of the followers of The Project, she feels alone and is desperate for connection after many years of no contact with her sister Bea. And that desperation is something that The Unity Project and its leader Lev easily take advantage of. Being able to see snapshots of Bea's experience with The Unity Project was essential and added so much to the story. The novel started off a little slow, but you quickly get pulled in to Lo and Bea's stories and have to see it through to the very end. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

What a well written, frightening story of two sisters - one who was in a terrible accident that took their parents, the other next to the hospital bed holding her sister's hand. In the midst of this crisis, as one sister sits and waits to see if the other will live, in walks religion. But not just any religion, one that asks you to devote your life, your money, your possessions and time to it - one that looks an awful lot like a cult.

This is a wonderful story about how easy it would be to fall into a "family" of a loving, religious, devoted group. How wonderful their love it, how pure their motives, how easy their reasoning. It's eye opening and there were many parts that broke my heart but also made me uncomfortable. I felt myself moved by the group, the leader. I can't even imagine looking into eyes like that as he told you how special you were, how loved, how perfect. I was completely sucked in and couldn't help but wonder how this would all play out. What a wonderful story. This author never disappoints!

Courtney Summers’s proves once again that she is one of the best thriller writers of a generation. She weaves a tale that is heart pounding and wrenching all wrapped in one. Her exploration of how painful being sisters can be is one of her strong suits. I eagerly await whatever she writes next

I loved this! I do remember thinking thriller isn't the word I would use to describe this. I was mysterious and vibey and a bit weird, but not a thriller in my opinion. But that's just me. The atmosphere this created was so great. I also think the ending was lacking something, but I can't place my finger on it. It was super intriguing and I definitely didn't want to put it down. I was immediately interested because of the cult-like vibes. I have never read a book of that nature so I was interested to see if I liked it and I did!

It’s no wonder I went right for the sweet holiday novel after finishing @summerscourtney upcoming novel The Project. Like Sadie, this book kept me thinking and pondering and wondering. Lo’s story is sad, solitary, and fraught with questions. While the story and the writing are outstanding, I would not consider this a YA novel. It is meant for an adult audience as even the protagonist is over 18. I hope it doesn’t flounder in that category. Thank you @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for allowing me to read and review this book coming out February 2021.