I am a big Jessica Jones fan so my expectations may have been too high. This was readable, but fell short for me.

This book felt like a Marvel movie, but in book form. This story is about two twins who visited their father over the summer and came back not the same. Jessica Jones is hired to figure out what went on over their summer. This book was filled with action, mystery, and reflection of one's self. I have read many of Lisa Jewell's other books, and this one did not disappoint!!

I am not a superhero / marvel girlie. I didn’t realize that this was a Netflix show and now I’ll need to check that out. This was really good! Not a typical Lisa Jewell but such a fun ride!

I wasn’t sure, maybe the first 25 percent, I thought it wasn’t for me. I struggled to connect with the book, but I’m glad I kept going because it turned out to be really, really good.

You may have heard of a badass lady named Jessica Jones. Marvel superhero extraordinaire and Lisa Jewell has given us a deep dive into this character in an unparalleled experience. Breaking the Dark is an absolutely thrilling adventure unlike anything else!

I had to google Jessica Jones because I had no clue who she was, but I am vaguely familiar with the Avengers and Marvel, so when I saw Lisa Jewell had written a book in the genre, of course I had to give it a go! It was definitely different than her typical novels, and that’s not a bad thing. There’s lots of history as well as supernatural elements to the star so there’s a little something for everyone.
Lisa Jewel wrote Jessica Jones as such a broken and yet relatable heroine and of course there's a villain, Polly. Jessica is retired from her superhero days and is now working as a PI and is hired to look into some twins who come back from their summer away very different and super “perfect “ and their mother wants to know what happened while they were gone.
If you’re curious about the novelization of comic book characters, be sure to check this out, as well as the other two books that will be coming in the series.
Thanks to Hyperion Avenue for my eArc in exchange for my review.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HyperionAvenue for the book #BreakingTheDark by #LisaJewell. Let me first say I am not a big Marvel fan, but Lisa wrote this book and I can now say I feel like I know Jessica Jones really well. Loved it and it blew me away. 👏👏👏 to you Lisa!!
Jessica has super powers. She has had a traumatic experience and likes to drink to hide the pain. She has been hired to find out what twin teenagers have come back from the UK, at their dads, and now act and look “perfect”. As she digs into what is going on and realizing what is happening, she faces something she never knew she wanted. Can she save the day and herself before a terrible thing can destroy a whole lot of people?

Although I am grateful to receive an ARC, I am pretty dissatisfied with this book. I do enjoy Lisa Jewell, however, this book seemed just a little off to me. I am a huge Marvel fan and Jessica Jones fan as well but this just didn’t seem like Jessica Jones and the story didn’t hook me at all. Truthfully, I wanted to DNF the book cause it took me about 3 weeks just to get to about 45% of the book because anytime I picked it up, I always just put it down and read something else. I hear there is supposed to be a couple more books coming out like Daredevil but after reading this one, I’m kinda worried.

✨ A Thrilling Blend of Mystery, Power, and the Darkness Within ✨

Wow! This book hit differently compared to Lisa Jewell’s usual genre. I love how she seamlessly transitioned from psychological thrillers to a superhero mystery and absolutely nailed it! This is by far one of the most fascinating books I’ve read from her, and I just can’t contain my excitement over how incredible it was!

Breaking the Dark follows Jessica Jones, a private investigator and superhero, as she investigates a disturbing case. Twin siblings have reportedly changed after spending weeks at their father’s house. According to their mother, Amber, they look the same, but something feels off. Their mannerisms have vanished, their skin appears eerily flawless, their grades have skyrocketed, and they often seem dazed. While their memories remain intact, Amber knows deep down that something is terribly wrong, even though they insist they’re fine.

Jessica Jones is a fiercely independent and resilient woman. She’s far from perfect, haunted by past trauma and insecurities, yet her determination to push forward despite feeling lost gives her depth and strength. I also loved Malcolm, he was brilliant, resourceful, and arguably more of a superhero than the actual superheroes in the book! His role in helping Jessica was phenomenal, and I truly hope to see more of him in the sequel.

Breaking the Dark is a thrilling blend of mystery, suspense, and superpowers. As a Marvel fan, I was obsessed with how Lisa Jewell combined the superhero genre with a gripping investigative plot. If you love high-stakes thrillers with supernatural twists, this book is a must-read!

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for granting me the opportunity to dive into the and amazing and thrilling world of Jessica Jones.

✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 Jessica seeing the kid.
📌 Malcolm being an undercover agent.
📌 Malcolm genuinely cares for Jessica.
📌 Luke helping Jessica.
📌 Amber offering Jessica a therapy.
📌 Jessica finally opening up and talks about her trauma.

✨TROPES:
📌 Supernatural Mystery
📌 Morally Grey Characters
📌 Not All Heroes Wear Capes
📌 Conspiracy & Cover-Up
📌 Superhero Elements
📌 Romance Subplot
📌 Mental Health Representative
📌 No Spice

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6915862039

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.com/2025/03/10/arc-review-breaking-the-dark/

💻 LINKEDIN REVIEW: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kinanahmanalao_arc-review-breaking-thedark-activity-7304613765017178112-DZ1_?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADZadkYB6kcp2SMdCiCoSdnI_IRLHncLwvs

👩‍💻 INSTAGRAM REVIEW: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHnv8UnyHFV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I was granted a free copy from net gallery and all my opinions are my own

I first met Jessica jones through the young avenger's series, one of my first comic runs that got me into marvel. she instantly screamed strong female powerhouse; this book didn't disappoint that side of her character. The book is about Jessica investigating two New York twins that had changed after a summer with their father in the Uk. This leads her on a wild ride that she wasn't expecting at all connecting to a bigger picture. Although the story had a slow start, around the 60% point I really started enjoying the book. it has a deeper meaning connecting to <spoiler> The horrors of social and societal pressures to look a certain way or be "perfect" </spoiler> this really hit me hard, unlike most other superhero-based novels actually having a new meaning to the story. Lisa Jewell adds her own spin on the character with the novel to where you could be a marvel fan and enjoy it or not be and still have a good time with the book. although I do recommend at least becoming familiar with Jessica jones a bit before for best experience. The only part I didn't like was <spoiler> Jessica's pregnancy story line</spoiler> it's just overused in my opinion, but I guess you needed another side to the book too. Overall, I think this was my favorite non audio marvel novel I've read.
age recommendation: +13 mostly just for interest/reading levels

Breaking Dar was a step away from which Lisa Jewell usually treads.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to another one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for gifting me a digital ARC of this first in a Marvel Crimes series by a favorite, Lisa Jewell. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

I'll admit to being out of touch with the Marvel Universe since my boys left home, but you don't have to be an aficionado to enjoy Lisa Jewell's novel starring the superhero, Jessica Jones. While she has superhero qualities, she's trying to live a quiet life and working as a private investigator in NYC. She's approached by a woman who is convinced that her twin teenagers came back very different after visiting their father in the UK. Jessica travels to the small British village, which is quite mysterious in itself, to try and discover what happened to them.

This was just a fun novel, with nods to the dangers of social media and our chase of perfection. There is a storyline that takes us back to the origins of the mysterious affliction that seems to be possessing the twins. I liked Jessica's character - trying to recover from trauma, drinking too much, but willing to sacrifice everything when necessary. Lots of good characters in this one, including her teenage assistant and fellow superhero, Luke Cage. I can't wait for the future books by more favorite authors to come!

I thought this book was such a fun and different crime/thriller to see from Lisa Jewell! I love the Jessica Jones character from the comics and the Netflix series, so it was fun to see a novel written about her. The addition of Luke Cage was great as well. I think the case was very relevant to society as well. Just the focus on social media and everyone striving to be perfect.

I did find the way that the sections between current and past to be cut off felt a bit weird but I am not sure if that is just how the ARC copy was laid out and the official version will be different on Kindle. It was just a bit hard to follow because things would run together.

Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC copy! I enjoyed it!

The story kicks off with Jessica navigating her mundane life as a private investigator, dealing with the ghosts of her past, and the all-too-human battle against addiction. When Amber Randall walks into her office, Jessica’s reluctance to engage shifts into a sense of duty when she hears the mother's heartbreaking story about her twins. Cosby's portrayal of Jessica is both relatable and authentic—her flaws make her a compelling hero, and her journey is laced with emotional depth.

The eerie atmosphere of Barton Wallop adds another layer of intrigue to the narrative. The village is rich with enigmatic characters, particularly the mysterious Belle, who embodies the book’s central theme of duality—what lies beneath the surface of perfection. As Jessica confronts the unsettling reality of the twins’ transformation, readers are kept on edge, questioning the nature of identity and the shadows that lurk behind seemingly innocent facades.

A standout moment in the book resonates deeply: “A mother’s intuition is never wrong.” This quote encapsulates not only Amber’s fierce love for her children but also reflects Jessica's own struggle with her past and her commitment to doing what’s right, even when her instincts are burdened by doubt.

Breaking the Dark not only appeals to long-time Marvel fans but also invites new readers into a captivating world filled with suspense and emotional depth. With its strong character development and a plot that floods the reader with tension, it sets a promising tone for future installments featuring beloved characters like Luke Cage and Daredevil. Cosby has successfully created a thrilling blend of crime and the supernatural, ensuring readers will eagerly await the next adventure.

This was my first time reading a Marvel novel, and I enjoyed it. I like Lisa Jewell as an author, and she does a great job of setting a mystery in the world of Jessica Jones. There were good cameos by other Marvel characters. But I really enjoyed the new characters that Jewell created. I feel like there were some aspects of the plot that continued from another novel or series that I wasn't familiar with, but it didn't hinder my understanding or my enjoyment. Hop on for a ride of creepy kids and their "perfect" life. I enjoyed. Would recommend.

Wow! What a ride! Lisa Jewell writing a Marvel book? And it’s a character as tragic as Jessica Jones? This was going to be a must buy for me when it came out in paperback (I got alot of kids, so I gotta save money where I can lol). I wanna thank #HyperionAvenue and #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this. It was everything I wanted in a book. Great characters, great story and of course great writing. Seeing Lisa take on a different type of story than we normally get from her intrigued me. You could tell right away that she knew the character of Jessica Jones really well, and the story she crafted was amazing. I was hooked from the first chapter. I’m not sure if it was because I’m just a Marvel fan or what, but I really want to just give credit to Lisa Jewell. She made me want to go ahead and preorder the other Marvel Crime books now. I’m hoping we get more Jessica and Danielle sprinkled through those also. I hope Lisa writes more books in this genre and honestly, convinces Marvel to do a sequel to this also. #BreakingTheDarkAJessicaJonesMarvelCrimeNovel was totally worth the 5 stars I can give, which I don’t like giving out all the time and when I do it is usually 4.5 being rounded up.

Side note: watch Jessica Jones on Netflix for more of the character, including her past with Kilgrave. Plus, Krysten Ritter IS Jessica Jones and I read the dialogue in her voice in this book.

Thank you to Hyperion avenue and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Marvel fan and was very excited to see that Lisa Jewell wrote a novel about her.

I thought the storyline was an interesting one. The characters were well developed and I like that it bounced back and forth between timelines so you can keep up with Jessica and what was happening before and during.

If you are or even if you are not a marvel fan this is a great read!

Rating this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I’ll be honest and say that I love anything by Lisa Jewell and grabbed this book not realizing it was a Marvel/Superhero book. However, I think it was very well written and falls more in line with her previous books for mystery and suspense, as there really isn’t a lot of “superhero” stuff. I’d honestly list this more as supernatural type stuff, which always fascinates me. It does flip back and forth a bit from past to present, but it’s easily identified beforehand so you’re not wondering where the characters are like some other books. All in all, I enjoyed this book.

Lisa Jewell and Marvel? Can this be true?? This book got my immediate attention and I was interested to see how the writing of one of my favourite authors would mix with one of the more complex Marvel characters.

I absolutely loved this book. It kept to the true character of Jessica Jones while still giving that thriller feel that Lisa Jewell is known for. The character development and interesting thought process as Jessica wraps her head around a path she didn’t ever think she would be on kept be interested and I was actually sad when the book ended as I wanted to keep following her character as she embarked on this new journey.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy and truly recommend this book to all Lisa Jewell fans and Marvel fans alike.

I’m a regular reader of Lisa Jewell, so when the chance to receive an ARC of her book Breaking the Dawn came up, I jumped at it. However, it wasn’t until later that I noticed the description—A Marvel crime novel? As someone who isn’t really into Marvel, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I have to say, from the very first page, the writing had me hooked. It felt like classic Lisa Jewell, just with a Marvel twist. Even if Marvel isn’t your thing, I’d recommend giving this book a try—you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Breaking The Dark
By Lisa Jewell
Hyperion Avenue
(03/25/25)
5⭐️

🔘Mystery Thriller
🔘Crime
🔘Superheroes

Meet Jessica Jones, retired superhero and private investigator. She comes with a bucket list of issues but is still inherently good and an interesting character. Even with her superpowers, her flaws make her a very human and relatable character. Jessica is hired for a job that takes her to the UK where she not only battles external dark forces, but also battles some internal demons. This evil is targeting the young and impressionable population in a way which would be very possible nowadays.

This Marvel story is very captivating and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. This story focuses on the style of good versus evil. Lisa Jewell does an incredible job developing her characters as well as evolving her storyline. This story touches upon issues that are prevalent in today’s society especially with our obsession with social media.

Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Hyperion Avenue and Net Galley for providing me an advanced e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes:
🔪 Violence
☠️ Kidnapping
🕵️‍♂️ Mystery
🦸‍♀️Superheroes