I'm not sure if this answer helps the OP in any way but I actually prefer books that don't have a newfangled project that distracts from the core language. It's

I'm not sure if this answer helps the OP in any way but I actually prefer books that don't have a newfangled project that distracts from the core language. It's a good idea for readers who are learning programming for the first time but not for experienced developers. I highly recommend checking out Udemy for a C course because their courses are typically project oriented. I believe Udemy gives a major discount for new users.