Posts Tagged 'cult'

The Project by Courtney Summers

Genre: Realistic Fiction

After a terrible accident kills her parents, Bea is willing to do anything to save her sister, Lo. When Lev Warren approaches her in the hospital he claims he can save Lo as long as Bea commits to his religious community, The Unity Project. Bea agrees, but doesn’t know exactly what that means until she’s expected to give up her sister and everything else she’s ever known and move to the Unity Project. Lo, meanwhile, grows up and believes the Unity Project is a cult who stole her sister. Every time she’s tried to reach out to her, she is blocked by members who claim Bea wants nothing to do with her. Now, as an adult, Lo works for a news publication and longs for the day she can write an article herself. When the opportunity presents itself to investigate the Unity Project she jumps at the chance to expose them, but is it what she thinks it is? Lo finds there are many surprises in store for her at the Unity Project, but can she get to the truth and not just what everyone wants her to see? Can Lo find a way to reunite with Bea or is it too late for them?

This book is for those looking for a more serious read. Bea and Lo both struggle with the loss of their parents and the fact that Lo almost died as well. It has changed the way they see the world, but in different ways. In trying to find truth, both have taken very different paths in life, but Lo very much wants to find a way to have a sister again and she’s willing to do almost anything to get it. The characters are very well developed and it’s easy for the reader to see how everyone came to make the decisions they did. This book has action, suspense, and so much more, but it does tackle some serious topics, such as death and abuse so anyone looking for a light read will want to pass on this one.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Apocalyptic Society

# of Pages:  465

RAC Book:  Yes

Alex goes into the woods against the wishes of her aunt and doctors in order to distribute the ashes of her parents before her brain tumor kills her.  While she is in the woods there is an electromagnetic wave that sweeps the country and maybe the world.  The pulse kills most people instantly and leaves others either saved or in a zombie-like state.  She meets a young girl, Ellie, who is unharmed, and a teenage boy, Tom.  Tom is a former U.S. soldier from Afghanistan.  Together the three of them try to survive, but keep finding more and more challenges to finding food and staying safe.  Will they ever feel safe again?  Will they all survive this disaster?

This story is engaging and students who like survival and futuristic type stories will enjoy the action.  The characters all have secrets that they are reluctant to share, despite their close relationships they eventually form.  There are many unanswered questions by the end of the story and the ending itself may frustrate some readers who are looking for more of a resolution.  Hopefully, some of these questions will be answered in the inevitable sequel.


Archives