Member Reviews

This one had me hooked from the very beginning. I HAD to know what was happening, even though half the time I didn't haha. Character development was absolutely brilliant. I cannot wait for another Jessica Jones novel! Lisa Jewell, you truly outdid yourself with this one!

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I was unable to finish this book. I should have read the description better, but I was disappointed that it was Marvel universe. I tried to get into but I wasn’t able to. I love the author but will probably stick to traditional novels.

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I enjoy everything Lisa Jewell writes and this was such an interesting venture of hers. I think it was cool seeing her write in this way

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I loved this book so much! It was great to see what Jessica Jones is up to these days and the mystery she was investigating was fascinating! It definitely makes one think about the lengths people will go to achieve perfection. I absolutely adored Malcolm! IYKYK! And I enjoyed getting to be an observer as Jessica figured some things out and realized she could be happier. I was pretty proud of her growth. Overall, a great story and I look forward to the other book in the series.

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I honestly didn’t know what to expect going in but I really enjoyed this one!

Jessica Jones is a super-turned-PI who lands a bizarre case after being contacted regarding twin teens who returned from their summer abroad just a little too…perfect. Her investigation unearths a family with a disturbing past and an even more alarming plan for the future. The case comes at a time when Jones’ is trying to figure out life in general while still dealing with the aftermath from a previous attack.

Full of twist and turns this novel delivers some of my favorite elements - dual timelines, morally grey characters and a hint of supernatural. I will say that the pacing was slower than I typically prefer but the storyline kept me fully engaged!

This is my second from Jewell but my first Marvel novel. I’m definitely looking forward to the Luke Cage and Daredevil installments!!

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I would read the phone book if Lisa Jewell wrote it. She’s one of my favorite authors! I have to admit that I didn’t know anything about these Marvel characters and I still don’t, at least canon… good news is that you don’t have to know anything about who Jessica Jones is to enjoy this book.

It’s a great stand alone story about a PI who investigates a case. There are allusions to her superpowers and her past, but they are barely relevant to the story and it’s an exciting mystery that keeps you reading to find out the truth.

It’s a little outside Lisa’s normal thriller genre, and very well done. She should definitely write more of these.

If you are a Marvel fan, a Lisa Jewell fan, or a mystery fan, you will enjoy this book. Definitely recommend,

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My 2nd Lisa Jewell read! I love Marvel so I enjoyed this even though I wasn't sure who Jessica Jones was before this! haha.
Lisa definitely knows how to get your mind working and keeping your attention with her books.
I look forward to seeing what is next!

Thank you Net Galley and Hyperion Avenue for this eARC book!

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As a girl who loves Marvel this was such a fun read!

If you’re not familiar with the Marvel Universe you may get a little confused, but you won’t be completely lost in the story. I honestly guessed what was going on about 20% info the book. There were some pieces I didn’t guess & a few plot twists that were thrown in there that had me completely shocked.

The concept of this book was so interesting & it definitely sets you up for more books in the series.

It definitely felt like it was about 100 pages too long & some scenes were a bit repetitive.

Special thanks to NetGalley for sending me an eARC!

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Wasn’t able to read this one digitally but I did order a copy of the book so will be reviewing it after I’ve read it. I’m really excited for it as I’ve only heard great things about it.

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I received this book through NetGalley, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

Breaking the Dark is a gripping and fast-paced crime novel that fans of both Marvel and crime thrillers will enjoy. Lisa Jewell brings Jessica Jones to life with depth and complexity, capturing the essence of the character while immersing readers in a dark and intriguing mystery. The plot was full of twists, and the writing kept me engaged from start to finish. I loved the blend of superhero elements with crime-solving, making this a unique and exciting read.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I look forward to exploring more from this author!

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When I requested Breaking the Dark, I had no idea it was a Marvel book. While this is not typically an interest of mine, I found the story pretty interesting. Jessica Jones is an anti-hero and I really enjoyed her snarky personality. The writing is captivating and Lisa Jewell was able to build a decent amount of suspense to keep readers on their toes.

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Interesting superhero crime novel. It’s super slow at the beginning and wasn’t really sure about the story. It picks up a third of the way into the book. Some of the twists and turns are predictable but enjoyable. This is not the same
Jessica Jones as the Netflix show.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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WHAT I LIKED
➽ Good pacing
➽ Short chapters
➽ Interesting characters
➽ Dual time frame

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
➽ No real twists
➽ Read more like a YA novel
➽ Not enough backstory about Jessica Jones
➽ Ending was mediocre

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Breaking the dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel follows the story of Jessica jones who is a PI in New York. She is down on her luck after some trauma in the past and newly pregnant. She is called upon by a woman named amber who is looking into why her children came back different from a UK trip to their fathers.

The books tumbles and turns through Jessica’s investigation, she takes on a teenager as an assistant who has more character than she does.

The book is super slow at first and then kind of picks up. I’m still not so sure of how or why she is an avenger because there isn’t a whole lot of back story.

I did end up pushing through and it was an okay book.

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Lisa Jewell is no stranger to crafting twisted, unforgettable thrillers—and Breaking the Dark is no exception. But this time, she adds a new twist to her mastery of suspense: a gritty, supernatural noir vibe pulled straight from the Marvel Universe. This first installment in the new Marvel Crime series gives us a closer, rawer look at the iconic Jessica Jones, and Jewell nails the voice and tone that make Jessica such a compelling anti-hero.

If you’re not already familiar with Jessica Jones, here’s the rundown: she’s a retired superhero-turned-private investigator. She’s tough, damaged, snarky, and brilliantly observant.

A frantic mother, Amber Randall, bursts into Jessica’s office with a wild-sounding claim: her teenage twins have changed—completely—after visiting their estranged father in a remote British village. They’re eerily perfect now, missing their once-familiar quirks and even speaking differently. Amber is convinced her children have been replaced.

Jessica’s curiosity and intuition won’t let her ignore the case, so she follows the trail to Barton Wallop almost otherworldly village in the UK.

What follows is a twisty, psychological thriller with eerie sci-fi vibes, cultish secrecy, and a deeply personal undercurrent as Jessica is forced to confront the darkest parts of her past while battling the shadows creeping into the present.

Breaking the Dark is an atmospheric, fast-paced, emotionally gripping mystery that blends the Marvel Universe with the addictive twists Lisa Jewell is known for.

But what really impressed me was how seamlessly Jewell made the Marvel world accessible.

You don’t need to be a comic book buff to get lost in this story—Jessica Jones is a protagonist who commands your attention from page one, and the central mystery is gripping enough to stand entirely on its own.
Whether you're a longtime fan of Jessica or new to the character, this is a must-read!

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Take a shot every time you said ‘Perfect, Perfect, Perfect’

One of my favourite all time authors Lisa Jewell, has taken a turn with her books and has entered the Marvel Multiverse with her new release.

In Breaking the Dark, we are following Jessica Jones who is a retired superhero now Private Investigator. One morning she gets a knock on her door from distraught mother Amber who is concerned about her twin teenage kids who came back home from the summer at their fathers in the UK and are now acting very weird. She doesn’t think its normal teenage behaviour and believes something sinister has happened to them. She begs for Jessica to investigate and get to the bottom of the mystery.

JESSICA JONES TO THE RESCUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so I am not really a Marvel fan to be honest, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with this story. But Lisa reminded me why I am such a massive fan of her work because her writing is captivating. Lisa knows how to write characters and most importantly writes them so well that you genuinely care about what they are doing and stay rooting for them. Her characters are not perfect, they all have their flaws, strengths and weaknesses and its easy to relate to them.

Lisa created great intrigue and suspense with this book, and I was eager to go along the ride with Jessica to find out what was happening with the kids. It didn’t feel gimmicky and comical (ironic I know) and it was so easy to picture the scenes and atmosphere in my head.

This was more than a book of superheroes flying around everywhere and trying to catch the big bad villain. I read about loneliness, insecurities, greed and people striving for ‘perfection’.


⋆。°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆。°✩
➽ Good pacing
➽ Short chapters
➽ Interesting characters
➽ Dual time frame

⋆。°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆。°✩
➽ No real twists
➽ Read more like a YA novel
➽ Not enough backstory about Jessica Jones
➽ Ending was mediocre

The pacing was good and kept my attention. There was some parts that kind of lost me and went over my head. The ending wasn’t anything spectacular or mind-blowing and was somewhat predicted from myself, but I wasn’t mad it. Overall, I really enjoyed it and wouldn’t be opposed to watching the tv adaptation.

Don’t be perfect… Be REAL
Perfection isn’t a goal, it’s a scam


3.5 ⭐

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Lisa Jewell novels are always my favorite! Her writing has a way of pulling you in and not letting go which I love! I will admit I was hesitant about this novel because it is a marvel book so I was not sure if it would have the same style as her other books. I was not expecting it to pull me in like it did. I have limited marvel knowledge, I had actually never heard of Jessica Jones, but I was still able to full enjoy the storyline. I encourage non marvel fans that are Lisa Jewell fans to read this new thriller. It has all the elements of twisty suspense and intrigue that I enjoy.

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Review of Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell

Was this a classic Lisa Jewell? No. Did I still enjoy it? To an extent…

Lisa Jewell is one of my go-to authors for twisty, character-driven thrillers, so I was curious to see how she’d handle a Marvel tie-in. While I do enjoy Marvel, I don’t have much familiarity with Jessica Jones, which made it harder to connect with the characters and the world. That’s more of a me problem than a fault of the book itself, but it did impact my overall engagement.

The writing was solid, and the story kept me semi-intrigued, but I never felt fully invested. It had its moments, but I’m not sure it hooked me enough to continue with the series. If you’re a Jessica Jones fan, this might hit differently, but for me, it was just okay.

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Starting out unfamiliar with Jessica Jones, and lightly knowledgeable about the Marvel universe I was immediately drawn to Jessica’s story and listened fascinated as the stories unfolded. Dual times were important and worth rewinding the audio to reorient as I listened. Compelling and intriguing, I look forward to the next two in this series.

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3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

I sort of don't know how to rate this book. I think I might have liked it more if it hadn't had the "Jessica Jones" label on it - as a supernatural mystery story, it was great. It did what it said on the tin. As a Marvel/Superhero story? It kind of felt flat. I couldn't see past the Lisa Jewell of it all to hear Jessica's voice. She was too posh, too quiet, too British for me to believe that this was a bred and born, hard-ass PI from New York (a lot of this (imo) was due to the use of British expressions by Jessica on occasion). Her rough edges seemed softened. And, while this book does cover a lot of growth in Jessica's life, I wish she had started the story as more of a rough and tumble mess, so that we could see her growth happening on page.

The mystery itself was slow-going for the first bit, but once it started picking up steam I could not put it down! It was eerie and weird, and exactly like a plotline I could imagine from the Jessica Jones TV show. Around the last 40 to 30% of the story in particular was when things started getting really really tense and the spiral to the reveal began (Lisa Jewell is so skilled at writing these tense revelations and slow unravelling of mysteries). The two plotlines (past and present) didn't feel as impactful until here at the end, when the plotline (and timeline) started speeding up.

All in all, this was an interesting concept - to take an established mystery writer and give her a fully fleshed out character to play with. I think it worked well, but sadly it didn't blow me away.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion for giving me an eARC of this book for review! All opinions are my own.

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