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.

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Review

This was an interesting book to read from many angles. There is a sisterly bond between Bea and Lo, a cult, death, intrigue, and maybe a bit of romance (but not much).

Bea and Lo are close sisters until an accident leaves Lo for dead. What Bea perceives as a miracle has her joining a cult because she believes that the cult leader saved her sister and this is the price she must pay. This seems to sever the ties between the two sisters since Bea in essence disappears into the cult. I think Bea’s youth and naivete make her a perfect target for someone older and wiser and this is evident throughout the novel.

The story is told primarily from Lo’s point of view, but there are sections from Bea’s perspective. The story slips back and forth in time and while there are some indications when this happens with the year at the top, at other times it will flip suddenly which threw me off. It would have been helpful to have a small break or something to indicate there is a change in perspective.

Lo is approximately 19 and comes across as very immature for her age. I am sure she did not have a normal life after the accident, but it seemed like she expected everything to be handed to her without working for it. I think I felt more compassion for Bea because she loses her parents but doesn’t have anyone to help guide her through life and she was still a teenager. I felt like she was left to fend for herself and she left Lo to their Aunt’s care knowing that she couldn’t take care of Lo’s needs by herself.

The story was intriguing and I wondered if it really was a cult or if The Unity Project was a caring organization as their leader, Lev, proclaimed. We see the good works that they do, but not everything is always as it seems on the surface.  This becomes more evident towards the end of the book. In fact, the action really picks up in the last 20% or so of this book. It is horrifying the details that come out in the end. It definitely will make most readers feel uncomfortable and sad by the turn of events.

There were still a few questions that I don’t think were answered, but not too many.

Overall we enjoyed this book and give it 3 1/2 paws up.

About the Author

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 reviewed for The New York Times, is the founder of the 2015 worldwide trending hashtag #ToTheGirls, and in 2016, she was named one of Flare Magazine’s 60 under 30. She lives and writes in Canada.

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