Member Reviews

Anything Lisa jewell writes I will read! Although this was definitely very different from her usual style, I still had fun.

It is a story about Jessica jones who is a big marvel character. I know nothing about marvel which I don’t think matters to read this book!

I found the first half to be a bit slow but then the action kicked off and I was gripped. Very good, but also very different from her other work.

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The first 30% of this book, I wasn't sure. I struggled to connect with it and I think I was looking for Lisa Jewell's usual style which seemed to be missing. Once I got over that and kind of tried to see the book for what it was I loved it.

Was it a Lisa Jewell classic, no. Did I still have a great time, yes.

The premise of this book is what did it for me more so than the characters or the writing I think. It gave me Rouge by Mona Awad and Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang vibes without being pretentious or weird lit vibes.

That being said, I do think the premise will be hit or miss with a lot of Lisa Jewell's regular readers, especially her older readers however props to Lisa Jewell for stepping out of her comfort zone!!

Overall I would say read this book but don't RUN for it!

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I was a little worried if I would enjoy this book as I’m not a huge Marvel fan. However, I love Lisa Jewell and her writing style still came through clearly in this book. I was quickly engrossed in the plot and characters. A great read and one that I’d highly recommend for true Marvel fans.

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Initially hesitant after reading the description of "Breaking the Dark," I was uncertain about enjoying it since it diverged from my usual reading preferences. However, I decided to delve in, and to my delight, I found myself engrossed. The book boasts an engaging storyline that had me rapidly turning pages, alongside a cast of intriguing characters that piqued my curiosity - A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my ARC.

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I was unsure whether I’d like this, not because of the way it was written but because I’ve previously not got on with marvel/fantasy/superhero books or even the tv series. I thought I’d give this a go because it’s crime and investigation as well and that’s right up my street.

As always Lisa Jewell has absolutely perfected the writing, so easy to read and follow. The cues to what year you’re reading about helps half way through chapters.

Jessica jones is a private investigator with her own problems. She lives in a run down flat and employs a teenager to be her mini side kick. Is she in a relationship with Luke Cage or isn’t she? Is she pregnant? Is she a functioning alcoholic? Has she suffered that much trauma she’s broken? Jessica thought she was until she met Amber, who desperately needed Jessica and her investigation skills and super powers. Apprehensive about the case because there was little to no evidence to follow at first, but of course it was no match for Jessica. She soon follows trails and ends up in the UK. Posing as a journalist she investigates until she’s caught up and taken back to her traumatic experiences. She faces her demons and gets the case solved, as we know she would! Strong female essence!!

The story shows how despite Jessica’s own troubles and thoughts about being broken, she manages to help a mother in need whilst discovering she’s going to have her own child. She proves to herself that she’s good enough to be a mum and can do anything she sets her mind to. Lisa Jewell brings Jessica’s child into the story throughout in the disguise of a 5 year old who guides her and shows her that she’ll be okay. That this child is exactly what she needs.

I’m interested to carry on the series and see what else Jessica has to offer! Loving the crime investigation and fantasy mix!!

Thanks for letting me review on NetGalley!

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Really enjoyed the combination of Lisa Jewell and Jessica Jones. I was worried I wouldn’t remember enough about Jessica Jones but the way Lisa has written it means you don’t have to know Jessica’s story already! Really action packed and had me dying to know the ending. Giving 4 stars as there weren’t enough shockers for me as I’d guessed what was coming up more than I’d like, but still really recommend.
Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy :)

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A massive thank you to @penguinrandomhouse @centurybooksuk @netgalley for approving this arc for me I was kinda sad when I saw that the next Lisa Jewell book was going to be a marvel book. Having never watched or have no knowledge about marvel universe was unsure if i would enjoy this book but @lisajewelluk proved me wrong.
This book is a prime example of the fact that Lisa can do no wrong and i would absolutely enjoy everything she writes.
would highly recommend you give this book ago as I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed!
Synopsis: **"Breaking the Dark" by Lisa Jewell** is the first book in the new Marvel Crime series. It features Jessica Jones, a former superhero turned private investigator, navigating a complex case involving twins who exhibit disturbing behavior after reuniting with their father in the UK. Jessica, now shunning her past life as a spandex-clad hero due to the trauma it brought, must confront dark secrets as she digs deeper into the mystery.

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It really helps if you like the Marvel characters referenced in this book, it helps with the back story and gives a better understanding. Hints of Jessica Jones past life is interjected in the story. However, it doesn't hinder the book if you are unfamiliar with her character.

Private Investigator, Jessica Jones is tasked with finding out why two teenage twins have been acting strange after coming back from visiting their father in the uk.

Lisa Jewell is a brilliant crime writer - I have enjoyed her other books immensely. This is a brilliant combination and LJ with Marvel pair very well. The story is well written, fun and an easy read - being tense and eerie at times. The first half was quite slow paced. However, it did pick up as the mystery unfolded. I look forward to reading the other books in the series in the future.

This book was Buddy-Read by my Husband, who is a very big fan of both Marvel and Lisa Jewell - so a perfect combination for him to read and give an honest, unbiased review on.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Jewell and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this ARC

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Breaking The Dark by Lisa Jewell
I give this book 4.5 stars.

Meet Jessica Jones: a private investigator and retired super hero.
Amber Randall is concerned about her twin sixteen-year-olds, who have acted and looked very different since they returned from spending the summer with their British father in the UK.
To find out more, Jessica travels to Essex and discovers a dangerous game with technology in order to make the world a "better place”. Can Jessica stop them from wreaking destruction on a whole generation of young people?

I love Lisa Jewell’s books and I enjoy the Marvel universe, Jessica Jones is one of my favourite superheroes so reading this book was a dream come true for me. I have to add that I’ve lived in Essex for the past 50 years so having it as a setting in the book was an added bonus!
This is Marvel and a thriller combination so you’re going to have to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy. I think the author has shown how versatile she can be with this one, and as a LJ fan be prepared to be a versatile reader to. l loved seeing Jessica who has retired her super powers,she is actually a flawed relatable character dealing with her own problems while trying to do her job, The theme tackles social media,technology and perfection on the younger generation and is relevant to today’s society . There’s several timelines,plenty of action,a touch of paranormal and a a crime mystery to keep you entertained and i personally really enjoyed it.
With thanks to Netgally,Lisa Jewell and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Century for my chance to read and review this book.

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This book follows Marvel character Jessica Jones as she solves a supernatural mystery across NYC and a small village in Essex, England.

Overall I enjoyed this story. The crime and intrigue that I enjoy was present. The story took the reader in a multi timeline aventure, meeting up at the end for the big finale. I personally felt that the pacing was a little slow in some areas, and I had to push through to get back to being in the thrall of the story. I am glad I did though.

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I am usually one of Lisa jewell's biggest fans, I've read everything she's written and loved them all. I know nothing about marvel.so was a bit confused about who Jessica Jones was but after reading the intro by LJ I was pleasantly reassured BUT it doesn't read like a normal LJ novel, AT ALL. Lots of short sentences/dialogue and Americanisms. I just prefer British novels and thrillers , perhaps because I can imagine the settings better and they resonate more with me. I'm afraid the super hero aspect wasn't for me at all, neither the characters or the story line. Just don't expect it to be anything like her other books.

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this was my first book by lisa jewell and it was not what i was expecting.

jessica jones, a retired superhero takes on an unusual case about twin sixteen year olds lark and fox who have acted different after returning from a stay with their father in the uk. their mother tells jessica about how their skin is unnaturally perfect and how all their quirks and habits have suddenly disappeared. jessica travels to london to find out more and discovers a greater evil at play.

i'm not the biggest fan of marvel, so i had no clue who jessica jones was before i read this. i found the writing style a bit difficult to get used to, and i had to continuously suspend my belief throughout the book once i had figured out the plot twist, although it was enjoyable watching everything play out.

3 and a half stars

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I was really excited when I saw that Lisa Jewell had written a Jessica Jones novel. I love her books and I love Marvel, so it was a great mix for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m so glad I read it; it’s fast-paced, exciting, and very clever. Jessica Jones is already a great character in comics and TV, and she’s portrayed brilliantly in Breaking the Dark. Strong, intrepid and kick-ass, she’s the epitome of a Marvel heroine, and I hope she’ll gain many new fans from this fictional outing.

Even if you’re not a Marvel fan, this book has plenty for everyone to enjoy. It’s a crime story set in New York and England, it has twists and turns, and all the ingredients you’ve come to expect from a Lisa Jewell novel. I was surprised how much I liked it, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fans of all genres.

The plot is very timely, thanks to its focus on social media, beauty standards and the pressures young people face today. It’s also quite dark in places, with a couple of unexpected avenues explored. It’s a cracking start to this new Marvel crime series, with Luke Cage and Daredevil books due in the future. Lisa Jewell is a fantastic author to kick it all off, and I can’t wait to read more from all my favourite Hell’s Kitchen superheroes.

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I'm really at a loss for words here. I love Lisa Jewell books. I love Marvel. I love Jessica Jones. Put all 3 together, and my tiny mind is blown to smithereens!

This book is intense from the very first line to the very last word. I was completely hooked, utterly engrossed, and ridiculously creeped out.

Breaking the Dark is like the ultimate thriller/sci-fi mash-up. That's the best way I can explain it in simple terms, or as Jessica Jones says, "explain it like I'm a 5 year old."

Jessica is the most relatable superhero I've encountered so far. Strange as that sounds. She's cool, kickass, fierce. But she's also scared, vulnerable, and a but broken. Kinda like me. I love her. The journey we take with her is terrifying because it's so real and so possible. It freaked me out.

I never expected to cry at the end of this book. I should have expected it, perhaps, because it's written by Lisa Jewell. Every single second I spent with Jessica Jones was an adventure and a pleasure. It's definitely a top contender for Book of the Year 2024!

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I enjoy books by Lisa Jewell and will read any new ones. I didn't realise that this one was a Marvel Crime featuring Jessica Jones. I knew nothing at all about Jessica Jones, Luke Cage or any other Marvel character.

In this book Jessica Jones, private investigator is hired by Amber as she is worried about her children. After coming back from visiting their father they don't seem to be as they should be. The story then goes on from there.

I was enjoying the book initially and it wasn't a big deal not knowing anything about Jessica Jones. I did have to go with the flow especially with the super hero parts although to be fair there wasn't that many.

I did struggle with the plot especially towards the end of the book. I felt the story went on a bit too much and I found myself getting bored. I really enjoy books by Lisa Jewell but for me I would rather have her thrillers than the Marvel offering.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the book to review.

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I love Lisa Jewell's writing. This was no exception although of course totally different to her usual storylines but still very much Lisa Jewell. Adored the book and I felt as though I was watching it on screen when I was reading it, that's how vivid the characters and storyline are. A great tribute to Marvel.

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I am a big fan of Lisa Jewell and Jessica Jones so reading Breaking The Dark was a no brainer for me l Jessica jones is my favourite female superhero and I absolutely loved the Netflix series (and not because David Tennant played the bad guy 😅)

This book was everything that ai hoped that it would be and more. I cannot wait for the next 2 books! You don’t have to be a Marvel fan to enjoy this, it is a detective story, it just so happens that that private investigator has super powers. The story takes place in New York and a small village in the UK. It was fun to see Jessica deal with the change in culture and way of speaking. I loved the appearance of Luke Cage and Danny Rand, the Iron Fist! so fun!!🤩

While Jessica is looking into why twins have returned to the US from the UK different, it is much more than that. It is a story of vanity, social media influence, vampires, perfectionism, vampires, eternal life and more. It is so dark and the creepy factor is high! There are some scary characters, ones that will stop at nothing to get what they want. Jessica’s finds herself in trouble a few times as you would expect.

As always with Lisa Jewell, the writing was superb, the characters were well written and fleshed out. It was exciting, it was emotional, it was highly entertaining to read and I did not want it to be over.

Thank you so much to Random House UK, Century, Cornerstone for my advanced copy of this brilliant book to read. Will be on my favourites list for the year without a doubt. I have already pre ordered a physical copy for my shelves. Get it July 4th.

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Well a first for me having never had anything to do with anything Marvel. I read it as a stand alone as of course I did not know any of the characters or about super powers! Once I got into it and got the gist of the plot it was worth it. Fast, likeable and believiable characters and not too much super power stuff. A nice introduction to Marvel. Thanks Lisa Jewell for opening up a new genre to me!

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OMG how do I even begin to describe this amazing read as whatever I write will never do it justice as it’s just out of this world freaking fantastic!
Firstly let me say please don’t be put off the read if you don’t know anything about Marvel as I know nothing apart from the fact it’s a big franchise and so I went into the read blind and purely because it was written by Lisa Jewell and it sounded like something a bit different and believe me it is very very different and completely addictive.
The writing was perfect and that’s quite a way to describe it , you will get that if and when you read the book lol, and I really can assure the writing truly is superb.
I tried to make the book last as long as I could as I really didn’t want it to end and for me who has been in a reading slump that showed how much I was enjoying the book., but finish it I did and with a great big sigh of satisfaction and there is not one thing I would change about the read.
So characters, plot, writing and just everything in this story all are worth far more than the 5 stars I can give and a massive thank you to Lisa Jewell for a book that goes right to the top of my all time favourite reads and also look forward to the next two books in this series.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Random House UK ,Cornerstone, Century for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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I have read quite a few of Lisa Jewell books and was a little hesitant as Marvel isnt my normal reading but I thought this book was amazing. Excellent characters and intrigue to keep you reading. Very hard to put down.

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