Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis:

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.

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 leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members 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.

Review:

Last year, I had the pleasure of reading Courtney Summers YA novel, Sadie.  It was gritty and bleak, but full of emotion.  I loved it.  Summers' latest novel, The Project, is equally powerful.  Lo is such a compelling character, and her need to connect with her sister is heartbreaking.  This is another novel full of suspense that will keep you up late at night, reading.

What I Liked:

Characters:

Lo is all alone in the world.  Her parents died in a car accident (which left Lo severely injured), and her sister, Bea, has left to join a church called The Unity Project.  Her life is further complicated due to the large scar that dominates her face.  It's all most people see when they meet her, and becomes a litmus test, of sorts, for who she will let into her life.  Needless to say, most people do not pass the test.  

I don't know if it's because of COVID, but I connected to Lo's feelings of isolation and loneliness.  I could see how important is was to her to regain a relationship with her sister, even though Bea abandoned her.  And I could see how she might be open to manipulation by others.  

Bea, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility of dealing with her parent's deaths and Lo's injuries, just wants to escape.  The Unity Project seems like just the place for Bea to regain her self-esteem.  She wants to have a purpose and be useful, and The Unity Project fits the bill.  Instead of trying to parent her younger sister, she takes on the smaller responsibilities at The Project.  It was easy to see how she could get sucked into this cult.

Story Themes:

Both Bea and Lo want to find purpose in their lives, one in a church, the other as a wanna-be investigative reporter.  Bea is asked to cut out everything in her previous life to dedicate herself to The Unity Project and it's charismatic leader, Lev.  Lo works insane hours at a magazine with an equally mesmerizing leader.  Each young woman yearns for the approval of these men.  Slowly, over the course of the story, we watch as Bea and Lo wake up to the realization that the only person they need to impress is themselves.

Suspense:

The story centers on Lo's determination to speak to Bea, even though The Unity Project won't let them meet.  As she puts pressure on them to give her access to her sister, strange things begin to happen.  The magazine's office is ransacked, and is she being followed?  Other people who have left and spoken out about The Unity Project disappear.  Is Bea all right?  could she be in danger?  What has happened to people who speak out against The Project?  The story gets scary as Lo becomes involved with Th Project in order to find her sister.  I stayed up really late at night because I couldn't stop reading.

Rating: 

Release Date:  February 2nd, 2021

Author:  Courtney Summers

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Page Length:  352 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  Filled with unforgettable characters and a tense story, this is a highly entertaining book.