Young Adult Fiction: The Project by Courtney Summers

Every new book by young adult writer Courtney Summers has something different to offer. In 2018, readers were both thrilled and affected by Sadie, a story of a young girl's search for her sister and the family history that forced them apart. Now Summers presents us with The Project, and just as a warning, this one is also not for the faint at heart.

The Situation: Nineteen year-old Lo wants nothing more than to write. Well, what she wants is nothing more than to find her sister Bea, but that door was shut so many times that she finally moved on. Now that Lo works at a small and often failing publication, she feels like it should be any day now that her boss will throw an assignment her way. And yet she continues to fetch his coffee, arrange (and rearrange) his calendar, and answer the front office phone. One day she witnesses the horrific death of a young man, and when she finds out that The Unity Project may be to blame, she is suddenly presented with a possible way to not only prove herself to her boss with an incredible story, but also make a path into the organization that her sister Bea joined over six years ago. Before a car accident that tore their family apart, Bea and Lo were close, just as their mother predicted they would be. But then Bea joined The Unity Project, and has not been seen by her sister since.

The Problem: The Unity Project has deep pockets, a large membership, and a charismatic leader that people seem inexplicably drawn to and willing to protect. When Bea first disappeared, Lo tried everything to get access to her sister, but was turned away again and again, while being told that Bea did not want her around. Even now, six years later, the members of The Unity Project still recognize Bea's little sister, but to her surprise, Lev, the leader, agrees to meet with her. Actually, to her greater surprise, he agrees to talk to her for the article she wishes to write. Bea believed this man could perform miracles, but Lo is more than skeptical. However, even when she gains access to The Unity Project headquarters, and has Lev's undivided attention, the sinister secrets she was sure to find are hard to come by. And then Lo begins to question what she has always believed, about The Unity Project, her sister, and even herself.

Genre, Theme, History: This is a young adult fiction novel that opens in 1998, when Lo is born, and goes through the end of 2018. The chapters jump back and forth through time, telling both Lo's story in present day, as well as Bea's story as she joins the project and becomes involved in its inner workings. To those who follow Lev and join The Unity Project, it is a place that is doing a lot of good in the community and is committed to righting the world's wrongs. But to its detractors, it is nothing more than a cult the preys on the vulnerable (hence their tendency to set up shelters of various sorts for those that are hurting and in need), with a wealthy benefactor, and a man that somehow inspires both loyalty and secrecy. The Unity Project may be front and center of the story, but just behind it is the strong, but also complicated bond between two sisters. Bea left Lo behind because she believes Lev saved her sister's life. But to Lo's mind, she was only left behind. Complicated sister-relationships are a common theme in Summers' work, appearing in both Sadie and This is Not a Test.  

My Verdict: I have probably stated this before, but I do not enjoy reading about cults, in either fiction or nonfiction. The creep factor is just too high. Even so, I powered through with this one, mostly because I like Summers' writing and trusted her to not make it too hard for her readers. Thankfully, the risk was rewarded with a story that was still hard to read in many places, but not so much that I dreaded to turn the page. In fact, I needed to know what happened next, despite the very obvious fact that it was not going to be something good. There is a slow reveal here of what is really happening that is done well enough to be satisfying instead of frustrating, but also tense enough to place this book in the category of 'thriller.' Other readers may certainly be more frustrated with the two sisters than I was, and it is understandable, but I especially encourage those who enjoy YA thrillers, as well as those who like true crime documentaries that focus on cults, to give this book a try.    

Favorite Moment: The first crack in Lev and The Unity Project's near perfect exterior is small, but it is there, and it is something the reader has to hold onto until the next one. It is a great way to illustrate how these organizations can fool so many for so long.

Favorite Character: Foster is a man who is brought to The Unity Project by Bea. He is smart, capable, strong, and protective; he was simply approached in the right way at just the right time.

Recommended Reading: My favorite of Summers' books remains to be This is Not a Test. 

Young Adult Fiction: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Huge shoutout to the cloudLibrary, which allowed me to still read Namina Forna's The Gilded Ones, the first book in the Deathless series, after a botched Amazon delivery (it happens) kept my physical copy from reaching my house. Thankfully, I was able to simply log on and check out the ebook. As many of you know, my home state of Texas has experienced a crazy winter storm (by our standards), so being able to bundle up and read a book from my phone has been an incredible blessing.

The Situation: The day has come for the Ritual of Purity, and 16 year-old Deka is a little worried. She, along with all of the other of-age girls, must prove to the rest of their community that her blood is pure. All she can do is pray to Oyomo, the god of her world, that her blood will run as it should, instead of gold like an impure one. Red blood means she can return to the life she knows, one day marry, and raise a family of her own. But gold blood most likely means exile, or perhaps death. She is already seen as an outsider thanks to the dark skin that makes her look more like a Southerner, despite having lived in the Northern Province of Otera her whole life. Many already suspect that she is too different, and unfortunately for Deka, their suspicions are correct. Before the priest can even cut her to reveal her blood, Deka's village is attacked, and it is her use of a previously unknown ability that betrays her as what she really is.

The Problem: Deka's gold blood has removed her from her father, her few friends, and her village. It is only due to the kindness, and impeccable timing, of a strange woman known only as White Hands, that she is able to escape whatever cruel fate her village had in store for her. Instead, Deka is now headed to the Warthu Bera in Hemaira, where she will train as a warrior. All her life she was told that those whose blood runs golds had no future. But in Hemaira, they are trained as the best and greatest defenders against Deathshrieks, creatures that occasionally leave their nests to attack humans, and often capture young girls and women. If what happened during the Ritual of Purity is any indication, Deka may be even more useful than her new leaders know. More useful than even she knows. And in the coming months, not only will she learn more about who and what she is, but also what she can do, and the true history behind the ones who bleed gold.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fantasy young-adult novel set in and around the land of Otera, which is Deka's home. It has been the long-held belief of its people that women have one role, and that is essentially to serve in the home and support men. At least, that is the belief of those who believe in Oyomo. This is what Deka has been raised to believe, along with the idea that girls with gold blood are abominations, demons, unnatural beings that must be harshly dealt with. The long and rich history of Deka's world, as well as how it has handled people like her, is slowly revealed as the story goes. As some questions are answered, more spring up, effectively keeping her in a state of relative confusion, as even those who clearly have the answers are not willing to give them to her. This would lead to significant feelings of loneliness and isolation if not for the friends she is able to make during her strange journey, friends that vow to never leave her side, despite their own misgivings regarding who she is and what she can do.

My Verdict: I remember when it was announced that this book was not going to come out on its original publication date, which I believe was summer 2020. So readers were made to wait until February 2021, and for many, the wait will be worth it. Forna has created an impressive and colorful world with an incredibly rich and intricate history. Lovers of fantasy will certainly enjoy being able to dive right into this one and explore a place that is probably nothing like one they have read about before. And the women, who have been raised to believe they are not worth much, even without cursed gold blood, are strong and formidable, as well as fiercely loyal to each other. With all of that being said, I am not sure the series is for me. Most of this is due to my lack of affinity for fantasy novels, and has nothing to do with Forna's writing. She has certainly crafted a well thought-out world with wonderful characters. They simply are not to my interests.

Favorite Moment: Throughout the book, White Hands is revealed to be even more than what she seems, and from her first mention, she seemed like someone not worth messing with. But every other time she shows up in the story, the reader learns something else about her that completely changes the game.

Favorite Character: I would have to choose between either White Hands, or Deka's best friend Britta. White Hands is almost a constant mystery to everyone, and certainly to Deka. Britta is pretty much as she seems: a strong and loyal friend who would do anything for those she loves.

Recommended Reading: One fantasy series I have decided to follow-through with is Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orisha series, the first of which was Children of Blood and Bone. 

Contemporary Fiction: This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

Today's selection will be my first adventure into a book by Leesa Cross-Smith, and for awhile it felt like This Close to Okay was everywhere I looked. Readers and critics have certainly been excited about it, despite its sensitive subject matter, and I could not help but be excited as well.

The Situation: It is a rainy October night when recently-divorced therapist Tallie Clark spots a man making his way over the railing of a bridge. Tallie knows what it looks like when someone is about to take their life, so she stops the car, opens the door, and tells him he doesn't have to do this. And it works. This begins what will end up being an intense and emotional weekend with Emmett. Tallie knows nothing about this man, other than that he is clearly in a desperate place. And to be fair, Emmett knows nothing about Tallie, except that she cares maybe a little too much, has a cozy house, two sweet cats, and was recently divorced. Tallie will convince herself that it is not necessarily unethical to not tell Emmett she is a therapist, since he is not actually a client. And Emmett tells himself that it is fine to not tell her his whole story, including what would make him want to jump from a bridge, and why he still intends on doing so. 

The Problem: Starting on Thursday night, Tallie and Emmett will slowly (or maybe quickly, depending on how you choose to look at it) get to know each other, despite all of the mystery and secrets. Tallie mostly holds back only on what she feels is necessary, even going so far as to talk about her divorce and how she still Facebook stalks her ex-husband. Emmett will use some of that information to do his own snooping, believing he is only helping Tallie as she helps him. And Tallie does not stop at inviting him to her home and telling her story. She also invites Emmett to her brother's annual Halloween party, going through the trouble of picking out a costume they can wear together, and introduces him to pretty much her entire family. It is a little weird how more than one person seems to think they recognize him from somewhere, especially when Tallie has Googled him and found nothing, and he is insistent on remaining a closed book. Overall, the weekend is a comforting, nice change. Then someone does recognize Emmett. And the truth changes everything.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction book set mostly in and around modern-day Louisville, with the opening scene taking place on a bridge over the Ohio River. Also, in the book, the Halloween holiday is on a Saturday, and it is mentioned that it is the end of Daylight Savings, which would mean that the year is probably 2020. In alternating chapters, Tallie and Emmett tell their story, eventually revealing themselves to each other. Tallie is certainly the more open of the two, as Emmett manages to remain a mystery to almost everybody until near the end, including the reader. The book moves at a fairly leisurely pace, even though the majority of the action takes place from Thursday night to Sunday night, giving everything a sense of slow urgency. Though many issues are discussed (mental health, loss, grief, coping, etc.), it is never quite forgotten that Emmett was a man who was once intent on taking his own life, and he and Tallie do not actually know each other that well. 

My Verdict: While reading this book at a coffee shop, I was asked if it was a romance, and I assured the person that it was not. It was a fair enough question, even though the cover (which I love by the way) is not the typical romance cover. And while there are certainly romance elements, I found myself saying that the book was more about mental health and grief than anything else. Obviously, something happened that made Emmett want to jump off of a bridge. And also, there is something that made Tallie believe that offering this same person her couch to sleep on for a couple of nights was a good idea. I feel like Cross-Smith is holding up two very different people who both need healing...and one of them is even a licensed therapist, proving that no one is exempt from needing help sometimes. Add in the peaceful pace, warm imagery, and the scenes centered around food, and this is somehow a comforting novel involving intense and heartbreaking issues.

Favorite Moment: There is something about the scenes where Emmett cooks. I also love to cook, so it does not take much for me to enjoy a cooking imagery in a book, but the word choice when describing Emmett's process was perfect.

Favorite Character: Despite his issues, and despite him not being completely honest about what is going on, I like Emmett a lot. It helps that we already knew he had problems, so what came later may have been surprising, but it answered questions more than anything else. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, which has a much more comedic tone that this book. 

Nonfiction: We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper

The full title of today's book is We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence, by Becky Cooper. It seems at least once a year I read at least one true crime book, and I am always fascinated...along with shocked and terrified. This book came to my attention as it was nominated for the Best Nonfiction category in the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards. It may not have won, but I am sure I am not the only one who has since added it to their reading list.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that thoroughly explores the 1969 murder of Jane Britton, a graduate student at Harvard studying archeology. It is while attending Harvard as a student herself that the author hears the story - which at this point had become more of an urban legend or fable - of the young lady that was murdered in her nearby apartment by the professor with which she was rumored to be having an affair. It appears that after being bludgeoned, her body was covered in red ochre and not found until the next day. And then, after some initial questioning, it seems like the case is forgotten. It disappears, not to be talked about again, and the murderer is never found. But Cooper had already become too intrigued to let it go, so she spends the next nine years investigating, interviewing, digging, calling, making records requests...whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this decades old case. Of course, the ultimate focus and purpose is to find the killer once and for all, but what also comes up is Harvard's long history of trying to keep these kinds of things quiet, as well as the longstanding problem of misogyny in all of academics, but especially in archeology, and especially in archeology at Harvard. Cooper attempts to leave no stone unturned as she explores Jane's complex history, and the cryptic circumstances surrounding her death.

My Verdict: My one word for this book would be thorough. If a name comes up in relation to this case, Cooper tries her best to find the person and talk to them. If the person is deceased, she looks for their spouse, child, coworker, whatever. She flew all over the country, took a job that required her to live on Harvard's campus, and was willing to endure records requests that would take years to be fulfilled, if only because they were often repeatedly denied at first. There is a lot of information provided throughout the book that will look like it is leading to something, but turns out it is not. What results is something that is rarely boring, almost always fascinating, but sometimes frustrating. At times it can be hard to reconcile Cooper's obsession with case, but it is an obsession that is often seen with many true crime writers, and reminded me the most of Michelle McNamara, author of I'll Be Gone in the Dark. This book is dense and full of details, and in my opinion, is worth the time.

Favorite Moment: There is a photo that is introduced early in the novel of the group that went on an expedition to Tepe Yahya in the middle east, of which Jane Britton was one. The author will get to view two versions of the same scene, and it is the comparison of the two - where in the first, Jane is looking away from the camera, and in the second, she is looking directly at it - that was my favorite moment. I do not know if any real or helpful information could be pulled from the two pictures, but it is chilling when they are placed next to each other.

Recommended Reading: I highly recommend I'll Be Gone in the Dark by McNamara, as well as American Predator by Maureen Callahan.