The Project by Courtney Summers; narrated by Emily Shaffer and Therese Plummer
Publisher: Macmillian Audio
Publication Date: February 2, 2021
ISBN: 9781250760630
After Lo’s parents died in a car accident her big sister Bea joined the secretive religious group The Unity Project looking for a renewed sense of hope. The sisters used to be very close, but haven’t seen each other in years. Lo is convinced The Unity Project is a cult and responsible for why the sisters have been kept apart. She begins investigating The Project and plans to expose the group and finally see her sister. But as Lo digs deeper into the Project and it’s charismatic leader Lev, she uncovers dark secrets and shameful actions from both her family and The Project, that threaten to unravel her delicate sense of truth and justice.
This powerhouse thriller flips back and forth in time between Bea’s story as she enters The Project, and Lo’s where she is investigating. Both narrators help differentiate the two sister’s perspectives and timelines adding depth to this suspenseful story about sisterhood, identity and belonging.
If you’re looking for more audio thrillers about escaping cults try The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis and We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire by Joy McCullough both focus on sisterhood, male predators and revenge.
–Rachel Adams, Teen Services Librarian, King County Library System
Other Nominated Titles
- Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans; narrated by Jasmine Mans (March 9, 2021)
- Speaker by Peter Wallace; narrated by Peter Wallace (August 1, 2020)
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten. The previous years’ lists are available on The Hub.