Ehh this one wasn’t for me. The first thing that threw me off is that this has more of a super natural element to it and there was nothing in the description leading me to think that. While I’ve ready many books with alternating timelines, I felt this one was harder to follow. This story was written from the POV of the 6 characters - I did find it easy to pick up on who everyone was fairly early on. While I did enjoy a few of the “twists” I felt the writing to be a bit chaotic. There also was a few different scenarios that played out that I thought may have been important or would come back into play later on and never did. All in all, I think the story had great potential but maybe just not executed in a way that grabbed my attention.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I just finished reading Vera Kurian's novel, A Step Past Darkness. Although the book had some intriguing plot twists, its delivery was unimpressive. The characters were not fully fleshed out, making it difficult to empathize with them, and the book's pacing was slow and erratic. While it was an acceptable read, it is not one that I would highly recommend.

Thank you to HTP (Harlequin Trade Publishing) and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

What on EARTH did I just read?!?! (I mean this in the best way) I absolutely DEVOURED this book in a day because I was that shocked by what I was reading. This is not a mystery so much as a psychological horror book that will have your jaw dropping multiple times.

I’m actually still trying to process it but it was amazing. Not only has Kurian crafted a confusing, other-worldly, one of a kind horror novel but she has managed to do it in a way that seamlessly blurs the lines between fiction and reality. I went into this book not knowing too much about it and I’m so glad I did because I was hooked from beginning to end.

An almost 500 paged psychological horror novel is no small feat and yet Kurian has mastered it. Her writing flowing so effortlessly that you’ll blink and realize you finished the book. I cannot say enough good things about this book!

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

Wesley Falls isn’t your typical small town and six classmates are about to find out why. While attending an end of the year party at the town’s abandoned mine they witness something they shouldn’t. The group of teens decide to carry this secret, making a pact to never speak or see one another again. Twenty years later when one of them turns up dead the remaining five members must come together to confront the pasts secrets in order to survive.

A Step Past Darkness has great atmospheric tension as this slow burn supernatural thriller takes the reader to a town filled with secrets and cults. The setting of the town itself along with the mine was truly creepy, maybe it’s just me but even just the mention of an abandoned mine and I already known nothing good will happen there. The story is told with flashbacks from 1995 to present day 2015 as well as thru multiple POVs. We follow each of the six core characters: Casey, James, Kelly, Padme, Tia, and Maddison. This did feel slightly overwhelming to be focusing on so many main characters but overall I enjoyed watching this misfit group come together and form bonds with one another over time. There were times that I felt throughout reading that the plot suffered from inconsistent pacing which could be due to the fact that this was a tad on the longer side page wise however, the twists and plot overall kept me hooked despite the slower middle. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who liked Stephen Kings “It” as it most definitely gives off those kinda of vibes.

A Step Past Darkness comes out February 20th, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Step Past Darkness pulled me in right from the beginning. The mystery behind what was going on in Wesley Falls, at Golden Praise, at the mine, and with some of the people of Wesley Falls was creepy and at times intense. The story built at a slower pace but was well worth the payoff. At first, the slow pace was because of the set up. There were six main characters. That's a lot of points of view to get to know, but each character had their own voice and experiences to add to the story. Once I was into the story, things picked up a bit. They did seem to slow down a little in the middle again, but I think it was because of the complexity of the plot and the players involved. It was also a longer thriller page wise, so that might have had an impact. Things picked right back up last third of the book and the ending was explosive. 

Overall, I enjoyed A Step Past Darkness. It wasn't quite as big a winner for me as Never Saw Me Coming, but I loved the mystery and the multiple points of view. These two books have cemented Kurian as a must-read thriller author for me.

This book was so different from what I expected, for some reason, but in the best way possible. I have been really gravitating towards mysteries/thrillers with a supernatural element, and this is probably one of the best I have read recently. I truly had an extremely difficult time putting this one down at night in order to sleep, and I found myself thinking about the storyline almost immediately upon waking, which is something that rarely occurs with me. Definitely will continue to recommend this book to all that will listen, and look forward to reading future titles.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to preview this uncorrected proof in exchange for my honest review. This was a unique, if a bit lengthy book to follow. I liked our characters, the setting and storyline. The typeset Add it hard to read on a phone, which resulted in y having to take breaks and try to get back into the story. It took a bit away from it overall. Despite that, it was well written and I would recommend it to,others.

This book gave me all the IT vibes possible and I am 100% here for it.

A group of misfit kids thrown together for a capstone project in 1995 uncover sinister secrets within their small town. And they all lead to the church that runs everything and determines who is worthy and who isn’t.

20 years after they saved the town, they have fled to other parts of the country and have had zero contact with one another. Until one of them turns up dead, in their hometown, and they all come rushing back to finish what they started in 1995.

I feel like the idea behind this book was good but there were way too many characters to follow and the ending was kinda dumb I tried scrolling on my kindle to see if there was more to it

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I loved Vera's previous book so was so excited to get this one. Its a twisty tale, and I loved the atmosphere. I didn't really care for the characters in this one, so I did get a little bored. But overall the ending made up for it and I would recommend as a popcorn thriller.

Ooh I loved this one!! It was a wild ride of guessing all the different endings and never actually knowing what was coming! Highly recommend!

Six Teens, a mine shaft, and a heinous crime. Wonderfully written and filled with suspense, “A Step Past Darkness” kept me on my toes every second.

This was a highly anticipated read for me, and it fell short of my expectations. I am going to do this review a bit backwards, and start with my dislikes. I struggled with three big things: the pacing, the plot, and the writing. I found it very slow paced, with very little of the intensity I would expect from a thriller. Many of the major details of the plot were also revealed too early, where they could have been amazing twists. Lastly, I felt the book was all ‘tell’ and very little ‘show.’ Combined, these things made it difficult to really get into the book. However, there were many things I loved about this book. I loved the characters. All six of them felt individual and unique. I liked that we got to read from all their perspectives, getting a good look into their heads. I loved the way the book alternated between 1995 and 2015, layering the mysteries in both times. I also did enjoy the plot, despite the pacing and early reveals. There were crazy elements that made it an incredibly unique read. Overall, I wanted more from this book but I would still recommend it.

I liked this one it had a creepy element to it and kept you guessing till the end . It’s about a 20 year old crime and the lengths people will go to to protect themselves.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Vera Kurian knocks it out of the park with this sinister tale of a 20 year old crime and the length those involved would go to in order to save themselves and maybe solve the mystery. I read this one in one sitting!

This book had a lot of supernatural elements, but overall was about a group of students that got assigned to a capstone project and it completely changed their lives. Twenty years later they get together after one of the group dies. This was a long book, but held my attention. I love the characters and how they brought out the best in each other.

Something is up with the culty church in their post mining town. The only ones who are aware of what is happening are a group of teens, whose slow burn friendship binds them together after witnessing something unexplainable. Set in flashbacks and current timelines, we see the horror and following of the mysterious force controlling their town. A great read if you like creepy historical fiction, cult churches, friendship, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Wow - I absolutely loved this one! It starts with six teenagers attending a party together only to be brought back together many years later after one from their circle is killed.

As others mentioned, I was a bit skeptical when I learned how many characters there were - sometimes it can become rather confusing and some are left undeveloped. While I wouldn't say I liked every character, I was still captivated by them and eager to learn their backstories and fates. I will say that the supernatural factor wasn't for me and some parts left me skimming due to feeling a little drawn out, but overall the story left me wanting to find out what happened in the end! Despite being marketed as new adult, I think plenty of more mature YA readers would love this one. Thank you for the ARC!

Vera Kurian is such an underrated author! Much like Never Saw Me Coming, A Step Past Darkness was wildly impressive. This is an excellent thriller, perfect for those who like adult books with young adult characters. I look forward to reading more of Kurian’s work!