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The Project
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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 th
...more
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Sarah
Yes, it was published on February 2, 2021.
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THE PROJECT is out now. For 13 years, you've championed my brutal narratives featuring 'unlikable' female protagonists, and when I promise to destroy you, you show up every time. You meet all my books ask of you and then, for some reason, you keep asking me for more. THE PROJECT's deliciously challenging narrative might be asking the most of you yet. Thank you for the privilege and the support and . . . #WelcometoTheProject.
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THE PROJECT is available in the following editions:
From left to ...more
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 unexp ...more
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 unexp ...more
Jul 02, 2020
Melanie
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
dark,
read-in-2020,
maëlys,
buddy-reads,
new-adult,
arc,
quarantine-reads,
contemporary,
mystery,
thriller
ARC provided by Wednesday Books
✨ My Review for SADIE
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 ...more"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."
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 ...more
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 ...more
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 intrigu
...more
"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, an ...more
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, an ...more
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 ...more
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 ...more
Are you sure this is written by COURTNEY SUMMERS ?
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 ...more
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 ...more
Feb 19, 2021
Melissa ~ Bantering Books
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley-arc,
on-my-kindle
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 hersel ...more
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 hersel ...more
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 th ...more
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 th ...more
Lo Denham almost died when she was a child, in the car accident that killed both of her parents.
Ultimately, she pulled through, but there are lasting repercussions stemming from that horrific day.
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 ...more
Ultimately, she pulled through, but there are lasting repercussions stemming from that horrific day.
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 ...more
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 e ...more
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 e ...more
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, d
...more
'' 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 freakin ...more
"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 freakin ...more
This should come as no surprise to anyone. I am in love with my Lord and Savior Courtney Summers. Sadie absolutely wrecked me. So when me and Natalie (@bookreadreceipts) had the chance to co-host the Mystery Book Club over on Instagram, there was really no other choice for us but The Project.
All of us on our way to join Courtney’s cult!!
Lo Denham used to have a sister, but Bea left her behind. Lo used to have parents too, but they’re gone as well. Lo used to have a family, and probably even used ...more
All of us on our way to join Courtney’s cult!!
Lo Denham used to have a sister, but Bea left her behind. Lo used to have parents too, but they’re gone as well. Lo used to have a family, and probably even used ...more
This was... disappointing. Review to come!
Throwing in the towel @ 60%.
I just can't suffer through this for one more minute. A lot of preaching and completely lacking in any suspense. Cults and religion are not my jam at all.
...more
I just can't suffer through this for one more minute. A lot of preaching and completely lacking in any suspense. Cults and religion are not my jam at all.
...more
Courtney Summers is my absolute favorite author and I don’t say this lightly. But this time her signature moves weren’t there. RTC
******
This will be Courtney's most painful book according to her tweets. I'm so ready to be destroyed. And will it be creepy? Cause I’m SO NOT COMPLAINING.
CS: “...a book that will make you reconsider everything you think you know about yourself.”
I’m shaking.
...more
******
This will be Courtney's most painful book according to her tweets. I'm so ready to be destroyed. And will it be creepy? Cause I’m SO NOT COMPLAINING.
CS: “...a book that will make you reconsider everything you think you know about yourself.”
I’m shaking.
...more
~ 4 stars ~
Buddy-read with Krizzie and Lucy!
“What is about to be offered to you has never been offered to anyone before.”
This book was mind-blowing and despite having read it two days ago, I still think about it because it was just one of those books.
The Project is a Young Adult mystery-thriller book that takes place in upstate New York. The Unity project -a religious group- has won over most people of upstate New York and have taken many under their wing, including Bea, Lo’s older siste ...more
Buddy-read with Krizzie and Lucy!
“What is about to be offered to you has never been offered to anyone before.”
This book was mind-blowing and despite having read it two days ago, I still think about it because it was just one of those books.
The Project is a Young Adult mystery-thriller book that takes place in upstate New York. The Unity project -a religious group- has won over most people of upstate New York and have taken many under their wing, including Bea, Lo’s older siste ...more
☆ 4 / 5 ☆
“All I wanted was to claw my way back to my sister, but the whole time she was so surrounded by new love, she buried her old family and built a new one on top of its bones.”
This book was so unsettling and compelling, it was so hard to put down and not get sucked into it for the whole day and ignore everything else I had to do.
The Project follows the perspectives of two sisters: Bea and Lo. When she was 13 Lo was in a terrible car accident that left her scarred, traumatised, and alon ...more
“All I wanted was to claw my way back to my sister, but the whole time she was so surrounded by new love, she buried her old family and built a new one on top of its bones.”
This book was so unsettling and compelling, it was so hard to put down and not get sucked into it for the whole day and ignore everything else I had to do.
The Project follows the perspectives of two sisters: Bea and Lo. When she was 13 Lo was in a terrible car accident that left her scarred, traumatised, and alon ...more
Jan 31, 2021
jenny✨
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ya-contemporary,
mystery-crime,
beautiful-writing,
canadian-author,
sisters,
coverlust,
thriller,
2021,
arc
grief pours from this book like an open wound. i feel, quite frankly, emotionally flayed by the project.
my main takeaway is this: sometime between when i read sadie last year and now, i have come to deeply appreciate courtney summers’ prose.
despite all the hype, i was lukewarm about sadie. i was interested in its subject matter but somehow left wanting with the execution. with the project, things were exactly reversed. i'm no fan of cult-related storylines; they frustrate and enrage and terrify ...more
my main takeaway is this: sometime between when i read sadie last year and now, i have come to deeply appreciate courtney summers’ prose.
despite all the hype, i was lukewarm about sadie. i was interested in its subject matter but somehow left wanting with the execution. with the project, things were exactly reversed. i'm no fan of cult-related storylines; they frustrate and enrage and terrify ...more
I enjoyed The Project. I find books about cults fascinating especially when the reader gets inside cult member’s heads. The Project is told in present day from the perspective of Lo and the past in the perspective of Bea. I enjoyed discovering how the sisters reacted to different situations and how they felt about each other. The reader knows how Bea feels and what she is thinking before she joins The Unity Project. Her opinions change throughout the book. Lo has spent years trying to figure out
...more
“You wanted the truth. Or are you afraid of it now?”
The Project was my first Courtney Summers book but it certainly won't be my last! I have heard universal praise for her novel Sadie, so was excited to see this book was available on Netgalley. All I knew was that The Project had a focus on cults and sisters and I was in.
We follow two sisters who follow different lives, but somehow each becomes involved in some way with a religious organisation called The Unity Project, and its leader Lev Warr ...more
The Project was my first Courtney Summers book but it certainly won't be my last! I have heard universal praise for her novel Sadie, so was excited to see this book was available on Netgalley. All I knew was that The Project had a focus on cults and sisters and I was in.
We follow two sisters who follow different lives, but somehow each becomes involved in some way with a religious organisation called The Unity Project, and its leader Lev Warr ...more
Oct 30, 2020
Fadwa (Word Wonders)
added it
I will come back to review this book and add TWs (a LOT of them) when I pick my jaw off the floor. But what you need to know is that THE PROJECT is haunting and morbidly fascinating.
Ugh... the weak female protagonist has returned.
Shortest Summary Ever: Lo, the victim of a serious accident that killed her parents has now lost her sister Bea to the Unity Project, a cult/religious group led by Lev Warren. She’s fought for years to uncover their deceptions so she can simply see her sister. Now Lo is working at an up-and-coming magazine, hoping to be taken seriously as a writer, when a man reveals he blames the Project for the death of his son. And Lo realizes she was a witness ...more
Shortest Summary Ever: Lo, the victim of a serious accident that killed her parents has now lost her sister Bea to the Unity Project, a cult/religious group led by Lev Warren. She’s fought for years to uncover their deceptions so she can simply see her sister. Now Lo is working at an up-and-coming magazine, hoping to be taken seriously as a writer, when a man reveals he blames the Project for the death of his son. And Lo realizes she was a witness ...more
Sep 07, 2020
Nenia ✨️ I yeet my books back and forth ✨️ Campbell
marked it as to-read
Courtney Summers is an author who isn't afraid to write "ugly" and take risks. I wish there was more YA out there doing what she's doing. She understands that real teens don't want to be condescended to. I started reading her work when I was a teen and I've never looked back. Love her.
Also this book is about cults, so there's that. ...more
Also this book is about cults, so there's that. ...more
My expectations for this book were pretty high given how much I liked the author's previous book, Sadie. Both books involve storylines with two sisters. While Sadie was a gripping and haunting read with characters I felt invested in, this book missed the mark and was more of an average read rather than something special.
After surviving a car crash that killed her parents, Lo Denham goes to live with her aunt. Her sister, Bea, is old enough to take care of Lo, but instead joins The Unity Project ...more
After surviving a car crash that killed her parents, Lo Denham goes to live with her aunt. Her sister, Bea, is old enough to take care of Lo, but instead joins The Unity Project ...more
The Project is, in my opinion, a victim of its own publicity. It's been touted as a chilling YA thriller about a cult and two sisters.*
Well, it is a novel about a cult. And, maybe it's because this is a YA novel, the cult is sad but it is definitely not the stuff of dark thriller territory and while there's lots of talk about being sisters, the sisters' only real interactions happen before the novel begins.
If I hadn't been led to expect a dark YA thriller, I would have said The Project is Courtn ...more
Well, it is a novel about a cult. And, maybe it's because this is a YA novel, the cult is sad but it is definitely not the stuff of dark thriller territory and while there's lots of talk about being sisters, the sisters' only real interactions happen before the novel begins.
If I hadn't been led to expect a dark YA thriller, I would have said The Project is Courtn ...more
What the hell that cover is! I'm transfixed! I'm mesmerized! I fell in love with this true talent! And that intriguing blurb! And one of my favorite author's upcoming book! I want to climb on a roof and scream: 'I WANT THIS BOOK NOWWWWW!"
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YA Buddy Readers'...: The Project by Courtney Summers - starting February 7th 2021 | 10 | 21 | Feb 28, 2021 08:21PM | |
| ARTBA 2021: The Project | 1 | 5 | Feb 19, 2021 10:02AM | |
| The Book Darlings : Surprise !!!!! / Feb Book Of The Month | 9 | 12 | Feb 17, 2021 06:02AM | |
| Challenge Corner: The Project by Courtney Summers -> Starting November 12th, 2020 | 12 | 19 | Nov 28, 2020 01:42PM |
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Courtney Summers is the bestselling author of several novels. Her work has been released to critical acclaim and multiple starred reviews, received numerous awards and honors--including the Edgar Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, the Cybils Award, the Odyssey Award, the Audie Award--and has enjoyed the recognition of many library, state, 'Best Of' and Readers' Choice lists. Courtney has reviewe
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“You wanted the truth. Or are you afraid of it now?”
—
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“What is about to be offered to you has never been offered to anyone before.”
—
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