ARC Review: The Project by Courtney Summers

Title: The Project 

Author: Courtney Summers

Genre: Cults, Horror, Thriller 

Source: Wednesday Books via NetGalley

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: February 2nd, 2021

Summary: "The Unity Project saved my life." Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo's sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there's more to the group than meets the eye. She's spent the last six years of her life trying--and failing--to prove it. "The Unity Project murdered my son." When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its charismatic and mysterious leader, Lev Warren, he proposes a deal: if she can prove the worst of her suspicions about The Unity Project, she may expose them. If she can't, she must finally leave them alone. But as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members, and spends more time with Lev, it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her--to the point she can no longer tell what's real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn't know if she can afford not to. Welcome to The Unity Project.The next pulls-no-punches thriller from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Courtney Summers, about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister from a cult. 

It’s still been a few days since I finished The Project and all I can say is this: Courtney, why did you put me through such pain? I loved Sadie so when I heard news of The Project I was instantly interested. Especially that this book is centered around a cult was a selling point for me, something about these kinds of books just trap me in. I can’t give The Project enough praise, but I’m hoping this review is a little drop in the tons of love it will get.

I love Courtney’s writing style. It’s easy to follow, imaginative and leaves the reading sitting on the edge of their seat eager for more. She did not disappoint on the twists and turns in The Project. There would many times through out this book that I would have to stop and process what happened.

I loved Lo’s character and her dedication to finding her sister and finding is place in the world after something horrific happened to her. I especially loved seeing how as the story went on how Courtney subtlety shifted certain aspects of Lo’s beliefs and actions to meet those of The Project, it was masterfully done. This whole entire book is masterful.

The Project left me crying in my room at 1a.m. because the ending is unlike anything I predicted it to be, especially having read Sadie and knowing how that ended. But as much as it emotionally destroyed me I loved every moment of this book and I hope everyone else who reads it does too. As I said, this review won’t do The Project justice so You have to read it for yourself to see!