I've got books piled up around here. Library books, ARCs from a library conference, books that I got for Christmas, a book of short stories that I just leave out all the time so it's there if I want it. AND, I was really excited to get an e-galley from NetGalley for the Jessica Jones novel, Breaking the Dark, by Lisa Jewell (comes out July 02).
I've written on here before about how I've been watching all the Defenders shows (I've finished now and am bereft.) I was watching the last season of Jessica Jones when I saw that NetGalley was offering the novel. I already had a hold on it at the library- which I haven't taken off, since I might want it again- but waiting until July felt like torture, so I snapped it up, even though I have four library books checked out.
I'm getting around to those now.
Breaking the Dark kept me hooked. I finished the last quarter of the book in one sitting. It just kept getting weirder as questions were answered, instead of clearing up. I do like a weird book.
I haven't read the comics, just watched the shows, but I was able to keep up with it. There was alot going on, with multiple timelines, and more than one investigation in two countries. At first, I thought I wasn't going to like it, because after a chapter or two, it would switch from the main characters to some new character whose connection to the first story isn't clear. (I know, it's a mystery. It's supposed to be mysterious.) But I like Jessica Jones so much that I stayed in it, and I was glad I did.
I'm not going to go into the premise since that's well covered in the marketing, but I will say it was more fantasy than sci-fi, so that was unlike the series; it was also heavier on sleuthing and lighter on super-strength stuff, but it was a good balance. I didn't think that Jessica was as sarcastic and snarly as she was in the series, so I'm wondering which version is closer to the original comics character. She was going through a major life change, so that is a factor.
I don't know how it compares to the comics, but I think that most fans will like it. The author did say that she was a fan of the character already and read up on the comics before she started the book in an interview. If there's another book on this character, I'll read it. I will definitely be reading the Luke Cage book by S. A. Crosby and the Daredevil book by Alex Segura when they come out.
This is my first book by Lisa Jewell. I hadn't planned on reading more soon just because I've been thinking about not reading much mystery or suspense right now, but when I was looking for this book on Storygraph (couldn't find it/ my profile is nerdandahalf), I saw some of her oldest books- one from 2000- that looked like a time warp back to my youth, and I'm very curious now. So who knows.
Library holds
I'm also stoked to read What if... Loki was Worthy? by Madeleine Roux. The cartoon What If? series really surprised me- I only watched it because I was home sick and bored, and now I've seen season 1 at least three times and season 2 twice. So far. So, excited for the book. I didn't see this one reviewed until I was late getting it ordered for the library, so I'm still waiting. Shouldn't be long.
I've also got a hold on The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman (July '24). I loved his Magicians series, so I'm really looking forward to this. And my last hold is for The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (May '24!). I don't really know much about it except, I think, time travel? And that's enough for me.
ARCs in print from a library conference
At library conferences, they hand out real books. I got several of these and left most of them for the rest of the staff at the library, but I kept two for myself. I've got Enlightenment by Sarah Perry (June '24). I don't even know what it's about but a) I've been meaning to read her forever and still haven't, and b) gorgeous cover. The second that I kept is The Bluestockings (July '24), a nonfiction book by Susannah Gibson. I've heard of this term for (basically, i think) an over-educated woman in times when they weren't encouraged to be academically involved, so I'm ready to learn more. Also, another gorgeous cover.
So, so many books. What a wonderful problem to have. I'll be a bee in clover for months before I've gotten through all these!
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. And to the publishers and PLA for the physical copies.
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