Challenge Corner discussion

"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.

Planning:
The Project

Through Part 1 / 25%

Lev(view spoiler)[ I'm not 100% sure what's going on here. I can see the truth in what he believes he's saying but he doesn't necessarily know what all his followers are doing, right? (hide spoiler)]

Bea(view spoiler)[ and I'm not 100% sure her absence from her sister is something nefarious.......yet. The flash backs make it seem like maybe she needed space from the tragedy and her inability to do anything and her survivor's guilt. but why stay away so long? (hide spoiler)]

The(view spoiler)[ bigger question I think is what was Jeremy talking about and why did he say it to her.
it's the only thing that makes me wonder if Bea's okay.... (hide spoiler)]

Through Part 2 / 55%

Bea(view spoiler)[ I'm pretty worried about her. a bit worried that the moto is really that no one ever leaves this cult. I really hope she's still alive but I'm not 100% sure she is (hide spoiler)]

Lev(view spoiler)[ he gives me the creeps. did he really save Lo, because she seems to have nightmares of him, not a good memory of being saved.....

also, Casey is worrisome. her crazy rage at her brother - I wonder what he would have said. I wonder if she is the one that kills anyone trying to leave...this whole cult is just...uncomfy (hide spoiler)]

And(view spoiler)[ I think the last thing we read was Lo getting in a car accident. Did Lev mess with her brakes? she made it seem like they weren't working. why does he have this weird obsession with Lo? (hide spoiler)]

Through Part 3/ 75%

Bea(view spoiler)[ I'm glad to know she is alive because I was getting worried. Interesting that Bea left but Foster didn't.... (hide spoiler)]

Lev(view spoiler)[ wow is he alluring. I can see why Lo would go to him
but he really made her feel abandoned - made her only remaining family never speak to her again. Why? (hide spoiler)]

and I'm done

Bea(view spoiler)[ I worried she was dead. how horrible

still have to wonder how Lev was the one dead in the water. I don't think I know what happened (hide spoiler)]

Lev(view spoiler)[ I'm surprised that it WAS him that was actually killing those trying to leave. I'm surprised, I thought he'd have others do it and keep his hands clean.

but the abuse he did to others, the burning and the hot water. That is horrible. absolutely horrible (hide spoiler)]

32% - (view spoiler)[Wait... it just ocured to me but what if Bea is dead?! (hide spoiler)]
42% - (view spoiler)[Arthur broke in to make it look like the project did it. I didn't see that coming. Also, Bea had a child while being brain-washed.. probably Lev's :/ (hide spoiler)]

56% - (view spoiler)[What if they messed with her car to make it like he predicted her to be in a car accident again.. (hide spoiler)]
59% - (view spoiler)[I'm just making wild guesses here -> what if he killed his mother? He could have scarred himself so that people would believe his story? (hide spoiler)]
70% - (view spoiler)[Ugh I'm glad she quit. (hide spoiler)]
76% - (view spoiler)[I feel like the phone call could have been Casey faking it. She could have played a record of Bea saying "goodbye" . Also, please tell me she's pretending to have changed her mind about the project because she just did a complete turn. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[Okay wow, I finished in tears. The author did a great job writing Bea and Lo. The sisters bond was strong in this one. I read somewhere that the last line "They'll see each other again." was the author's favorite and I have to agree it's pretty good. So sad for Bea, I was afraid she was dead all along. However I thought Foster would come at the rescue at the lake but apparently Lo saved herself somehow we just don't know how exactly. (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "and I'm done..."

(view spoiler)[Omg yes, the abuse he did to others was horrible. (hide spoiler)]

DANG you both are killing me in this BR. I'm going to try and dive into it tomorrow. It's a late night for me at work so I will definitely need something to keep me up!

Alaina wrote: "DANG you both are killing me in this BR. I'm going to try and dive into it tomorrow. It's a late night for me at work so I will definitely need something to keep me up!"

If only that was the case for every BR ahah

Prologue: (view spoiler)[WHO IS HE? GOD? DEVIL? I HAVE QUESTIONS! (hide spoiler)]
Part 2: (view spoiler)[Anyone else getting creeped out by Lev or is it just me? (hide spoiler)]
Part 4: (view spoiler)[Y'all my head is hurting with all the information floating around in my brain right now. Hot damn. HOW IS THIS GOING TO END? (hide spoiler)]
Finished: (view spoiler)[Well, hot damn! I kind of knew that Lev was behind all the killing because the guy was creepy AF. I also didn't know if Bea or Lo were actually alive or not. Ugh, that hurt my heart. (hide spoiler)]