User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Let’s start with this hypnotizing cover that you cannot take your eyes on it: it deserves more 15 million stars, doesn’t it?
Before you start this book, I assure you this is not standard “ welcome to the world of cults and meet with the lunatics who are also worshippers of one legendary man who lost most of his marbles” kind of book. It’s not only about a cult. It’s about losing your way in your life, looking for an anchor, grieving your family but mostly finding yourself story at the most unexpected place you may imagine.
Glory-Lo-Denham has with one of the shittiest hand she’s dealt with: she might be only 19 but she already lost too much starting from the car accident left a long and ugly scar on her cheek makes her remember that ominous day every time she looks in the mirror or catches a stranger’s pitying look at her face. At the very same accident she lost her parents and after fighting for her life at the hospital, her elder sister Beatrice ( Bea) abandons her to join a special group called themselves “ Unity Project” And her caretaker auntie Patty passes away only few years later.
Only thing helps Lo not completely lose it is her writing and thankfully she finds a job at SVO- one of the most powerful magazine as founder Paul Tindale’s assistant position. She dreams to be a writer and her only story already started to form on her mind since the day her sister left her for the Unity Project.
From the beginning she is suspicious about the motives of their organization. They might have already won the hearts and manipulated the most of the people in the Upstate New York region but she feels like this is just an act to cover their organization which is functioning like a cult.
And one day she witnesses a suicide. A boy jumps on the train tracks. Before he kills himself he calls Lo her name and a passage from bible.
Then Lo finds out the boy called Jeffrey who took his own life was the son of Arthur, a very close friend of her boss, who always treats her nice since they’ve met. He says that his son was a member of Unity Project and they brainwashed him to kill himself. That’s the opportunity for Lo to dig more about them to write a story bringing out the facts and reconnecting with her sister who rejects to call or talk with her for six years.
That means she has to face with the charismatic and powerful leader Lev Warren.
And guess what, Lev Warren who never opens up his abused childhood story and the inner mechanism of their organization to the press, accepts to talk with Lo.
She is closer to accomplish her mission. But what if everything she knows about her life consist of a bunch of ugly lies. What if the sister she yearns for turned into a complete stranger to her? What if there is more about her miraculous survival story at the hospital?Could she be wrong about the project ? Could Lev Warren have supernatural powers to resuscitate people and heal their souls? Could she choose the wrong side from the beginning?
This book is harsh, cold, painful slap to your face. Ms. Summers always know how to create tragic, sad, broken survivor young adult characters. At some parts Lo reminded me her previous character Sadie. The darkness, depression and grief surrounds her like a black smoke. But she is determined, stubborn to go on and finish what she started in expanse to shatter everything she believed and cared.
She’s bold, she’s relentless, she’s risk taker.
You think you know how the story will end and everything is so predictable. Nope, think again! Nothing as it seems and just get ready to burn and your heart to be broken into million pieces. This is gripping, layered, enigmatic, stirring, stimulating, complex and extremely well-written story. I didn’t expect less from the author.
That was one of the most anticipated reads of mine and I’m so happy, i wasn’t wrong about it.
Sharp transitions between past and present were clever but a little confusing which request your full attention not to skip the important details of the novel. So I’m just lowering half star but eventually rounding up 4.5 to 5 stunning, well deserved stars!
I cannot wait to read more works of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this incredible Arc with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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Rating: really liked it
ARC provided by Wednesday Books
✨ My Review for SADIE
"Having a sister, Mom says, is a place only the two of them will share, made of secrets they never have to say aloud—but if they did, it would be a language only the two of them could speak."
Courtney Summers is an author who has always meant a lot to me and her stories always impact me more than I have words to write in a review. I truly believe no other author writes about the sibling experience and feelings that I personally have better than her, even though I always am left feeling grateful and thankful that I am not a main protagonist in her stories. And
The Project is no different; it is hard hitting, filled with twists and turns that make you constantly question what is real, it is lyrically written, emotional, and fully a heart-wrenching story about the things you are willing to do for someone you unconditionally love, even when you feel isolated and confused and so very scared. Oh, and it’s about cults and how they prey on people who are isolated and confused and so very scared, too.
Lo was only thirteen-years-old she was in a car accident that left her parents dead and with everyone believing that she wouldn’t be alive much longer. Bea was only nineteen-years-old when she watched her world fall apart when she walked into the hospital to maybe say goodbye to her little sister. Desperate for hope that Bea wouldn’t lose Lo too, she went looking for something to believe in inside the hospital, and found Lev Warren. And when Lo ends up making a huge leap to recovery that very night, Bea realizes there is nothing she wouldn’t pay to ensure her sister will live.
"Bea closes her eyes. She wants Lo to understand that night in the hospital, what was supposed to be Lo’s last night on earth. How it brought Bea to her knees and how it split her heart in half and how its breaking called forth a miracle."
Six years later, Lo is alone again and hasn’t spoken to Bea in many years. She feels hurt and abandoned and just misses her sister so much, and she directs all that pain in to the Unity Project, that Lev Warren runs and where Bea is a member. And then one morning, Lo’s world gets touched again by the Unity Project when she witnesses someone take their own life, but before they do they recognize her because of Bea. And this death touches even closer when it impacts her job, and she gets the opportunity to finally do a story for the magazine she is working for. And she decides she will finally contact her sister again and make her see the corruptness of the Unity Project, and she won’t let anyone stop her, especially Lev Warren.
"All I wanted was to claw my way back to my sister, but the whole time she was surrounded by new love, she buried her old family and built a new one on top of its bones."
This story is mostly told in Lo’s perspective, but we get little glimpses of Bea’s throughout and every time I could feel my stomach and heart just drop lower and lower. The things that both of these sisters were willing to do for one another renders me utterly speechless. Truly, I feel like no one can write vulnerability and sacrifice, unconditional sibling love, earth-shattering desperation, and pure heartbreaking hope like Courtney Summers. All while also making her characters feel so real, and their journeys feel like you are right beside them experiencing everything alongside them. Yet, also make you question everything at every twist and turn.
Lev is written in a way that is scarier than any monster in any fantasy book, because monsters like him are living and dwelling and thriving in our world today. They prey upon people who are isolated from their families, people from lower incomes, people who are unable to get help from broken American health care systems, people who very rarely will realize that what they are experiencing is manipulation, gaslighting, and abuse. And if they are able to realize it, they are unable to seek help because men like Lev are gaining more and more power, more and more followers, and more and more resources to keep you trapped every single day. This is a hard book, and it is so very dark at times. The range in which Lev is able to manipulate people into believing his cult is a community is actually harrowing. And seeing Lev lead people into believing that he is a vessel for God, chosen to do His wants, is truly some of the scariest literature I’ve ever read and it really will leave me feeling haunted forever.
"The hard part is this: the small broken girl inside me clawing against the wall I’ve built to keep us separated. The one who still wants so much for certain things, despite all she knows."
Overall, I really did love this and I very much believe Courtney Summers was born to write and impact so many people with their stories. Her way of crafting and telling stories leaves me in awe, and I’m always completely blown away reading all her last lines. The reason I am giving it four stars is because I didn’t love the ending. I mean, this wouldn’t be a Courtney Summers’ book without a bit of a mysterious ending, but this one was just a little too mysterious for me and left the book at a little bit of a weird note when you look back at everything that was endured. But the last line? Perfection. Speechless. Masterpiece. Everything. Courtney Summers and her stories truly are something special and I’ll carry them within my heart always, despite how heavy they are.
Content and Trigger Warnings: abandonment, loss of loved ones, sleep paralysis, grief, depression, panic attacks, hospitalization, talk of death of child in past, physical abuse, torture, emotional abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, blood depiction, complications with childbirth, murder, child abuse, captivity, and cults. Please use caution and make sure you are in the right head space for this book, because a lot of these triggers are themes that are brought up a lot and unapologetically. Stay safe, friends!
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Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤
Rating: really liked it
My expectations were a little off with this one, as I prefer a bit more of a gimmick, or twists and turns throughout with the investigative mystery/thriller books I pick up. I thought the writing itself was impeccable, and will continue to read from this author without hesitation. The dialogue and scenarios felt very genuine and her ability to design characters you immediately sympathize with was inspired. I found myself feeling quite a bit of disconnect with the narration style, and the intrigue just wasn't there beyond the singular spanning mystery which had an easily foreseeable end. I appreciate being sent an early copy from the publisher and the full review can be found on my youtube channel.
Rating: really liked it
CS tweeted ‘(this is) a book that will make you reconsider everything you think you know about yourself.’ and i get that an author has to promote their own book, but i think this is taking it just a tad bit too far.
i, in fact, did not reconsider anything about myself. this did not make me reconsider anything at all. i already know cults are insane. maybe its just the skeptic in me, but i was not buying anything lev was selling at any point. never. so there werent any shocks for me, unfortunately.
buuuuut i do think this story is written very well and explores different aspects of cults (as much as a YA story can) that some readers may not ever consider. i also think this is a strong story about the bond between sisters and the lengths they will go for one another.
overall, not as good as CSs success,
‘sadie,’ but still an entertaining read, one fans of CS will undoubtedly enjoy.
a big thanks to st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!↠ 3.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
When Lo Denham was a child, she was a passenger in a car accident that killed both of her parents.
Although severely wounded, Lo pulled through, but there were lasting repercussions stemming from that horrific day. It has since shaped the course of her life.
Lo's older sister, Bea, essentially abandoned her after the accident, leaving Lo in the care of their Aunt.
Lo, understandably curious about why her sister would leave, only knows that Bea joined a mysterious group known as
The Unity Project.
The Project has deeply embedded itself within a few towns in Upstate New York through extensive charitable works and community outreach.
Even with their good deeds enhancing their image in the eyes of some, many assume
The Project is a cult, led by a charismatic leader, Lev Warren. Lo is one of those who believes something is not normal about the group.
Years later, when a good friend of her boss loses his son, Jeremy, to suicide, he blames
The Project for driving him to his death. It turns out Jeremy was a member of
The Project and as such, was purportedly kept from his family and friends.
Looking through photos of the man's son, Lo stumbles upon one of Jeremy posing with Bea. Lo has been desperate to be in contact with her sister again and vows to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
Lo works for a magazine, currently in an administrative position, but she dreams of becoming a writer. Getting the scoop on
The Project could not only help her find her sister, but also help her reach her goals.
She infiltrates the mysterious group and things progress from there.
The Project is a slow burn. Unfortunately for me, it's one that fizzled out rather than ignited.
The last quarter of the book started to intrigue me more, but prior to that I felt nothing; no passion, no intrigue, no curiosity, it was just sort of
meh.
As always, Summers includes a lot of hard-hitting subject matter and that's important.
I love her examination of difficult familial relationships. Lo, as a character, is really struggling to find her place and meaning for her life. Her need to reconnect with Bea is palpable. My heart did ache for her.
However, I did struggle with some of the back and forth between perspectives and timelines, as the narrative shifts from Lo to Bea at different times.
I would often forget whose perspective I was reading from, as I didn't find them particularly distinct, as odd as that may sound.
Also, the timelines that it switched between were all fairly close together, for example 2012, 2017, 2018, and I am just not used to that type of format.
I think I am used to larger gaps in time, say for example from 2000 to 2020, but that is a me problem, not a book problem, however it did impede my enjoyment a bit.
Since I was so highly anticipating this, I am left with a sense of disappointment. Even though it is a good book, there's nothing wrong with it, for me it fell flat. I wanted it to go darker, the atmosphere to be more ominous, and I wanted more suspense.
With all this being said, there's a Reader for every book, so please do not let my slightly unenthusiastic review stop you from picking this one up. If the synopsis intrigues you, absolutely pick it up and try for yourself!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity!
Rating: really liked it
"I woke to the promise of a storm."No one is more disappointed than I am that this wasn't the 5 star winner I anticipated it to be. Courtney Summers is an incredibly talented author, and I look forward to each new book that she releases with bated breath. Perhaps I overhyped myself, or it could be that I misunderstood going in just what this novel is, but I was mostly taken aback by the fact that there isn't a mystery to solve here. There are definitely dark, suspenseful aspects to the story, and we all know that fiction featuring enigmatic cult leaders continues to be on the rise, but for some reason I was expecting there to be something in need of solving by the end of this book. The journey is intriguing, but I couldn't help but wonder why there was nothing startling (aside from the obvious content) from start to finish; it lacked Summers' trademark AHA moment that I've come to crave with each novel she writes. I also found one of the plot threads to seemingly be dropped mid-book; it was just discarded and never mentioned again, which jarred me a bit. Obviously this was an interesting tale, but I just wanted more from it. Please give this one a try for yourself, and if you're thinking of purchasing a copy, the Barnes and Noble red edition looks STUNNING. 😍
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
I had to read the blurb.
Rarely do I do that until I've turned the final page of a book, but at about the 10% mark of "The Project" I found myself needing a roadmap for the narrative I was trying to navigate.
In short, this is a story about a (very) young woman trying to investigate and expose an alleged cult called The Unity Project that has alienated her from her older sister. Is it truly just an organization that brings lost souls together to help the greater humanity through charitable works, or is there something more sinister behind the intent of its founder?
As luck would have it, our main character, Lo, has landed herself a job as an assistant at an online magazine ("SVO"). About a year into her role, she's insulted that her boss won't yet allow her to do her own investigative story. And herein lies one of my primary problems. I just didn't like her, and I'm pretty sure readers are supposed to. To me Lo came across as whiny and entitled, rather than ambitious and sympathetic. After she does some moonlighting to dig into The Project, she laments, "Between this and SVO, it feels like I never get a day off." Uh yeah, paying your dues comes at a cost. This is just one example, and it could be a generational issue. As a more (cough, cough) mature reader, my dues have looooonnnnng since been paid. YA readers who are still young adults themselves may cheer her on for her defiant drive.
Beyond a lack of connection with Lo, I never could grab hold of the storyline after we got off to such a rocky and confused start. I felt like I was the claw in one of those toy-grabbing arcade machines, trying to latch on to anything that would pull me into the story. The jumping around from present to past through different perspectives didn't help, although that non-linear technique is quite common. I just don't think it worked here. I didn't want to pick the book back up after I'd stepped away from it, and I lost interest in the plot's resolution.
I went into The Project rooting for its success. That striking cover! This young phenom author! Despite my tepid experience with this release, I won't be surprised if my point of view is an unpopular one. It just wasn't the book for me.
I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and Courtney Summers for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy via NetGalley.
Rating: really liked it
Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.Flip. Flop.That’s what my feelings for
The Project did. They flipped, they flopped, and then flipped again as I read Courtney Summers’ latest Young Adult thriller.
And they flip-flopped
dramatically. From
like to
strong dislike to
really like to even
love by novel’s end, albeit fleeting.
It’s a lot of flipping and flopping, I know. Stay with me. This is all heading somewhere.
Nineteen-year-old Lo Denham knows how to take care of herself. She’s had no choice – her parents died in a car accident when she was 13, and her older sister, Bea, abandoned her to join the cult-like charitable group, The Unity Project.
Lo knows there is more to both The Unity Project and Bea’s departure than what lies on the surface. She has just never been able to prove it, no matter how deeply she researches the group’s activities or how often she shows up at The Unity Project’s doorstep demanding to see her sister.
Lo finally receives the break she’s been awaiting, however, when a man walks into her boss’s office, insisting that The Unity Project killed his son. Realizing that the young man’s death may be the missing link she needs to find Bea, Lo vows to do whatever is necessary to bring the group’s sinister ways to light.
So, here’s the thing. I feel like
The Project has two parts to it – the bad part and the good part.
The bad part comes first, and it is
so not fun. It’s long. It’s boring. And it’s a long time to be bored, seeing as it encompasses 60% of the novel. The characters are dull and bland, and Summers’ writing is dry and devoid of emotion. The narrative is also bogged down heavily by info-dumping, with Summers plopping huge chunks of her cult research into conversations and interviews.
And the bad part is obviously why so many readers are struggling with the novel. Because if the plot is not engaging, if the characters are not dynamic, and if the narrative lacks emotion – what is there to connect you to the story?
Nothing, really.
But if you hang in there, as I did, and refuse to throw in the towel, you will eventually come to the good part – and your reading efforts will be handsomely rewarded.
Because the plot quickens. The story grips. The info-dumps disappear. The characters are richer. Emotion fills the narrative. And we are given a closing scene that is incredibly beautiful in its melancholy.
In other words,
The Project becomes the novel it should’ve been from the very first page.
But it might be too late. I think a lot of readers will have checked out of the story long before the novel improves, and by the time the good part finally arrives, many of those who are still reading will not even care about what comes next.
And in all honesty, I’m not entirely certain the good part is
good enough to outweigh the bad part.
It was for me. But this sentiment may not be shared.
My sincerest appreciation to Courtney Summers, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own. Bantering Books Instagram Twitter Facebook
Rating: really liked it
I gotta be honest, this was... really disappointing. I was so excited to read this one after
Sadie blew me out of the water, but this one really missed the mark for me. I actually read this twice, once via audio and then another time physically because I was really struggling to connect to or process the importance of things that were happening, but ultimately I came out of it both times feeling like the story was a little... undercooked? This wasn't terrible, but it didn't work for me the way I was hoping it would and I am real bummed about it.
CW: death of a loved one, emotional/physical abuse, gaslighting
Rating: really liked it
NOW AVAILABLE!!!!
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.lo is nineteen, working as an executive assistant at a fledgling magazine whose founder’s mission to expose the truth at any cost is one she deeply admires and hopes to someday contribute to in a more meaningful way than fetching coffee. the truth she would most like to expose is that of the unity project; a religious group in upstate new york dedicated to social betterment through community outreach under the guidance of the charismatic lev warren.
it’s also a straight-up cult.
six years ago, when lo’s sister bea was herself nineteen, she met warren in the hospital chapel where she was praying for thirteen-year-old lo, clinging to life after the car crash that killed their parents instantly. desperate and alone in the world; a teenager tasked with the burdens of funeral arrangements and medical decisions in the midst of her own grief, bea is as shattered emotionally as her sister is physically, so when lev appears, and seems to perform a miracle—bringing lo back from weeks-long unconsciousness, it is as though he is the literal answer to her prayers. once lo is well enough to be left in the care of a great-aunt neither of them know, bea joins the unity project, becoming more and more distant until she eventually cuts ties with lo altogether.
lo is convinced that the unity project is shady—there have been controversies and rumblings over the years, but no one has been able to uncover enough dirt to stick. when lo witnesses the suicide of a young man affiliated with the group—who calls her by her name and mouths “find it” before stepping in front of a train—she sets out to investigate the group on her own, hoping to find her sister, bring her back and hold lev accountable.
the story alternates between these two parallel stories in different timelines; bea gratefully entering into the project’s fold and lo barging in with her notebook, skepticism, and virtuous agenda. the more time lo spends with lev, however, the more she begins to question her own beliefs about the project, her sister, and herself.
i put off writing this review for like five months, partly because i was tears-in-my-eyes touched that courtney summers even knew who i
was, let alone was offering to give me a copy of this gorgeous creature, and i wanted to Do a Good Job, but also because i didn’t love it right out of the gate, on a visceral, emotional level.
now that some time has passed for reflection, i’m able to see that on a
craft level, what she did is really impressive, so even if it didn’t ponch me in my feels the way Sadie did, it’s more important and resonant a reading experience, chronicling the influence of a strong personality on two vulnerable women: both nineteen, both alone in the world, both emotionally underfed; one who wants to believe very much and one who’s not gonna believe anything.
we’re drawn to bea’s story because we want to know where she is and what happened, but we naturally align ourselves with the skeptical lo (right?), and as her resistance is chipped away by doubt, it is a potent destabilization for the reader.
it’s been a year of mass manipulation, of people believing unbelievable shit, of herman cain tweeting weeks after his own death-by-covid that the pandemic was no big deal—so many things you would read in a book and think, “that’s too contrived.”
but here we are. and this book’s depiction of the seductive appeal of being seen, of sinking into someone’s ideology, in being told how special you are by someone everyone around you regards as capital-c chosen, how, among so many true believers, a little self-doubt goes a long way; it’s masterfully written and needs to be read. the exploitation of loneliness is reprehensible.
I can’t stand it, anymore, when people touch me and I find it hard to explain. It’s not that I don’t want to be touched. It’s because I do—so much—and I’m afraid I’ll give away what’s left of myself to feel less alone.
I already did it once.
i read this and the (still-unreviewed, grrr) We Can Only Save Ourselves months apart, and—oddly enough—they both pub on feb 2. if you're gonna read
one cult-themed book this year, i'd go with this one, even if you're not into YA, because—like so many of her books—it's got crossover appeal for days.
come to my blog!
Rating: really liked it
“You wanted the truth. Or are you afraid of it now?”The Project is a story about love and grief, about betrayal and sacrifice. It’s a story about a girl determined to save her sister at all costs.
Lo Denham is an aspiring journo. After her parent’s death in a tragic car accident, her sister Bea joins a secretive cult called The Unity Project, leaving Lo to fend for herself. Desperate not to lose the only family she has left, Lo has spent the last six years trying to reconnect with Bea, only to be met with radio silence. When Lo gets the perfect opportunity to gain access to Bea’s reclusive life, she thinks they’re finally going to be reunited. But as Lo delves deeper into The Project and its charismatic leader, she begins to realize that there’s more at risk than just her relationship with Bea.
The Project is told in alternating chapters from Lo and Bea's points of view. Lo's storyline takes place in the present while Bea's starts with Lo's accident and follows her life in The Project. Her investigation into The Project was interesting. The author did a great job of exploring different aspects of a cult and as well as the cult’s enigmatic leader Lev. This is a story about the bond between the two sisters and the book was able to bring out the emotional connection between the two sisters quite well.
The story is a slow burn. It starts off well by introducing Bea, Lo, and the Unity Project. With the story revolving around a cult, it sounded exciting, to begin with. . But the story was too so slow for a thriller. The writing was good that but I really struggled with pace. The perspective would often shift from Bea to Lo and back to Lo but I didn't find them particularly distinct. The back and forth between perspectives and changing timelines between the present and the past Bea when she was in the Unity Project, went on all at once. In all, the narration style was mentally exhausting for me.
Since this book was supposed to be a thriller, I had hoped for more suspense and more twists and turns. But up until the climax, nothing really exciting happens which was disappointing.
Overall, The Project did not live up to my expectations after a great start. However, the book has some nice emotional moments between Lo and Bea. Also, the cult portions were done well. If you are looking for a thriller with an emotional touch, you will enjoy this one.
Many thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
Rating: really liked it
First off, I love the cover. Initially, I thought this would be a perfect horror book/novel cover, but it does fit brilliantly with this book as well. What did not fit this book was me. Were my expectations too high after reading Sadie? Perhaps. Was it me or the book? I am not sure.
After their parents died, Lo's sister, Bea joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo to be raised by their great aunt. Lo has been trying to prove for years that there is more to this group and its leader than meets the eye. When a man shows up and claims that The Unity Project killed his son, Lo is more motivated than ever to expose the group and reunite with Bea.
I am not the biggest fan of slow burns but do not mind if there is a big payoff. For most of this book, there was not too much happening. I wanted things to go faster. I was a little bored. I wanted that big "Moment", but even though things picked up in the very end, it was not enough to move my rating higher. I do not usually have an issue with cult books, I find cults to be fascinating, but this book fell flat for me. Mainly because none of the characters really stood out for me. To be more invested in the story, I had to care more for Lo and her search, but I did not.
I may be in the minority and there are some that are loving this book and I encourage you to read their reviews as well. I really wanted to love this one. But we cannot love them all. I will still be on the lookout for more books by Summers. She is a gifted writer and unfortunately this book just was not for me. Again, please read other reviews for this book as well.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
'' It's that people get so confortable in the prisons they make for themselves , they instinctively reject what will set them free....'' "If you tell a story , something real , something true , you get to be alive in other people. and writing feels like the most, the greatest chance i wil ever have at being alive. '' This revieuw is spoiler free for major things that happen , major spoilers can be found at the end of my revieuw in the spoiler section that is marked with spoiler tags 5 freaking stars. read this , be aware of this , let your mind be confused and be blown away. especially if you are intrested in cults then pick this up.....
The project by Courtney Summers , the author of sadie which i enjoyed and i gave 4 stars.
This is a book that explores the topic of a cult , a super important thing in my opinion that should be explored more often because it isnt fiction. Cults excist , these things are real and we should be aware of them. And its also about trauama , about losing your way in life. This story is definitly spreading awarenes and shows multiple sides of a situation dealing with a cult which was truly so fascinating for me damn. I got confused by this book by my own thoughts about this '' project '' i felt myself thinking
is this really a cult , is this really bad '' and that scared the crap out of me. It felt like i was in this book myself besides the two main charracters , I found myself questioning everything with the main charracters and about the project and what it truly was,
And if a book can make me think that much and makes me feel like i am truly in it then its definitly a good book for me and thats what this book did too me. I was fucking mindblown and confused during this story and ohmygod. I cant even explain. This book just really goes intoo this topic that is such an important topic as it is happening for real in this world. And i personally feel that it was done in such a good and real way. that didnt back off of the cruel things and the confusion of the minds of these main charracters. I also feel like this isnt basic YA. i felt that this was more NA/Adult because of how this topic was explored.
The author also mentioned about this book herself that this shows the less '' good '' way of coping with your feelings and traumas , its about charracters that deal with trauma and are coping in their own way which can also be less pretty. She also mentions that with this story and these charracters she wants too show the less pretty way of coping with trauma that is less accepted. Honestly such a true words that also describe this book so good. This book to me felt really real as i said before and i felt like i walked beside the charracters.
A little about the plot and my thoughts on it The project is a group of people who live in their own kinda town under the leaderment of Lev Warren , believer of god. The people who live here are all people who struggle with themselves , who feel like they dont matter anymore , people who are seeking something too feel alive again and feel usefull again after traumas they went too. These are the people that feel like they are not good enough , that are not being seen. They feel like they dont matter. But in this community they do have the feeling of mattering , of being seen , of feeling alive and doing something good too the world. These people help eachother too get trough their traumas under the guidance of Lev , trough the faith in god. If you put it like this do you now get yourself thinking ? do you have yourself thinking
'' is this a cult for real or is this more a place where people connect , maybe this isnt that bad ? '' yes right? at least i did have these thoughts while reading and that is freaking scary.
Charracters The book follows two main charracters , two sisters and two timlines. We have the point of vieuw of the first main charracter ;
Bea this is written in third person and is about her after the car accident where both the sisters have been in and where they lost their parents in and how she is traumatized by it as her sister ,Lo. is in the hosipital with really bad injuries. It follows her journey and how she came in the project and her journey while she is in it. The way she is badly traumatized and feels all alone and feels like she needs something too comfort her. Bea her story truly broke me. The way you see her slowly coming intoo the project , intopo the live she now lives... The other point of vieuw follows
Lo this is written in first person and we are in her mind. It follows her in current time where she is also traumatized from everything that has happend. She blames the project for taking her sister away from them as Bea isnt in contact with her anymore and lives in the Project. She wants too look intoo the project too prove that they are a cult and wants too know where her sister is now , we follow her doing just this. But is the project what she thought it would be? even if you say a thousand times i would never be in that situation make these decisions can you still be sucked intoo it yourself too? this book also explores that situation in Lo her chapter. I loved thw two povs and how they always ended of this sort of twist which made me want too get too that pov again asap and then the pov of the other charracters also ends on a kinda cliffhanger and so it goes on and i wanted too keep reading , sucked in by this horrible story. Because it isnt a light fluffy read. Also
Lev is truly freaking terrifying and more scary then all monsters in fantasy books , he is a monster as they live in our real world.. but the author making him this way and showing us this , respect.
End reccomendation I personally loved this book but it isnt a light read. I would definitly reccomend this if you like stories that are dark and explore cults , humanity. You also have too be able too deal with weaker/unlikeable charracter because this has in my opinion in the end really strong charracter but they go trough a journey of confusion which i love and made them so real and i felt with them but this could maybe be a point you woudnt like in this story. For me this story was so powerfull and made me feel with the charracters and it even twisted my own mind , its a story of manipulation and humanity and the uglyness it can have.
this book will leave me thinking about it so long after it and will always be with my i just know that. This is just such a powerfull story. I reccomend it too anyone too at least try and too become aware of this topic SPOILER PART about the ending and big spoilers of the book !!! BE AWARE. Ohmygod. That ending. it made me sob a lot. the realization that Bea and Lo havent seen eachother since the time Lo was in the hospital and that breaks me somuch. The way Bea thought she did good , the way she got manipulated into the project which is a cult. The way she just coudnt handle her trauma and then the project was there. And then the history repeats itself with Lo as she is also dealing with her trauma , she keeps saying its a cult, she is convinced but then also she gets manipulated and me allong side her... like honestly for real i sometimes questioned the project if it was really that bad and i got part manipulated too even tho i knew it was a cult and terrible. But dam rthe way Courtney has wrote this.... i cant. Also in the ending Bea is death and i expected thisd and feared this... But lo , i am so proud of lo she came trough this journey and now she will publish the story and tells everyone about the project , about her sisters story damn. Also lev is disgusting and ugh but the way the author created him damn. I see some people saying in revieuws that Lo is spoiled and acting like she has it so bad when she as a normal job at a good company and she wants more. i dont agree with this fully . I feel like you can have a good job but you can want more and feel like you want more. She also deals with a lot of trauma because of everything and i didnt feel like she was acting spoiled. it felt human too me. Alos yes the relationships between both the sister fucking Lev , yes that disgusting but this whole story is freaking discusting and that is the point of it too show the ugly part and these cults and people like Lev can make people do things like this and i believe it can and that is freaking scary realizing that. Damn
Rating: really liked it
19 years old Lo is alone. After her aunt died, she has no one left in this world except for the sister she hasn’t seen in years. Shortly after the accident that killed their parents, Bea left and joined the Unity Project. She hasn’t contacted Lo since. The Project claims that Bea doesn’t want to contact Lo no matter how much she tries. Working at a renowned magazine, Lo is set to uncover the secrets of the Project and reach her sister. But the Project has a very good image and, on the surface, doesn’t appear as a cult. But surely the man called Lev claiming he’s God’s messenger sent to save souls, can’t actually talk to Him and guarantee paradise to his followers, right?
I’m not a fan of contemporary YA but in this book, the main character isn’t a minor nor is her sister. It also doesn’t focus on a romance just like Summer’s other books that I have read. You see, I loved Sadie. It was truly brilliant. All the Rage wasn’t bad at all either. Although books that revolve around cults and the like don’t particularly interest me, I wanted to give this book a try because of my previous positive with Summers. Only this book wasn’t good enough.
The book is told following two timelines throughout this book. One is from Bea’s pov (third person) and the other from Lo’s (first person). I didn’t mind going back and forth between povs but I admit, some were abrupt.
Before I explain my main issues, I want to say how solid Courtney Summers's writing style is. It’s very addictive. It’s easy to read and follow all while not being “simple”. I flew through it especially since I was reading a heavy fantasy book too.
The Project was a breath of fresh air. But don’t get me wrong, it certainly didn’t deal with light topics.
Yet, I can’t name anything else that I liked. It was just very meh and forgettable. I also didn’t
dislike it save for two things that I couldn’t stand.
1) Lo’s character was interesting… until she started complaining about being a secretary at a well-known magazine. She wants a higher position, she wants to write, but she doesn’t have any previous experience (other than this job) nor a diploma. And I’m here, working a job I’m very overqualified for with a diploma and I’m pretty sure I earn less than her. To say this attitude annoyed me to no end is an understatement. She should be grateful. She should be working to build her skills, taking courses and certifications,
trying to build her portfolio, instead of waiting for a promotion after a year at the company.
2) Something she shouldn’t have done, no matter how much Bea hurt her by not reaching out. Even though she didn’t do it for revenge nor hate, Lo did something inexcusable, sisters should never do. I can’t believe someone, with a character like Lo, would’ve done it. I felt like it was out of character in a way. (view spoiler)
[You don't sleep with someone your sister has slept with, goes without saying.. (hide spoiler)]Other than that, I simply didn’t enjoy the book, particularly the second half. The first half was engaging. Lo’s devotion to finding her sister even though she cut all contact with her was fascinating but again, the incident that takes place in the second half ruined it for me in a way. I have a sister myself and that’s something sisters who care and love each other would never do.
As for the Project, I was interested in how they attracted new members but I really wonder if it’s so widespread how can it manage to still be so secretive? Sure, we see how Lev attracts new members,
who they attract, but if there was actually something bad happening, how did it never get out?
By the end and even with that ending,
I was completely indifferent about The Project. Luckily, it was a quick read, and thanks to the writing style, I didn’t struggle to finish it. I debated whether I should give this book 2 or 3 stars, I settled on 2. Even though I didn’t hate it, I certainly did hate a couple of things about it. On the other hand, the only thing I liked was the writing style. 3 stars books have more than that.
Briefly, I didn’t feel much reading this book. The first half was interesting but then the book took a turn I disapprove of (ha ha I feel like an uptight reader now). But the characters were the highlight of this book and I couldn’t connect to them although I have a younger sister too. I only recommend this book if you’re looking for a book revolving around cults. Or if the description interested you.
arc provided via NetGalley
