Review: Chasing Brooklyn - Lisa Schroeder

Restless souls and empty hearts

Brooklyn can't sleep.  Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose.  Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her.  She has no idea what he wants, or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.

Nico can't stop.  He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca.  But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn.  But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted.  Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

Visit Lisa Schroeder's website for more information

Review:
Brooklyn's boyfriend Lucca died a year ago but she can't let go of his memory and isn't coping well, then her friend Gabe also dies and she finds things even harder.  When Gabe's ghost starts haunting her she has nobody to turn to and can't understand why this is happening to her.  Ever since Nico lost his brother Lucca he has been running, hoping to escape his memories and the pain.  But now Lucca's ghost is leaving him messages asking him to help Brooklyn.  What does he mean and how can Nico help Brooklyn when he isn't coping with his own grief?

Chasing Brooklyn is the first verse novel I've ever read, to be honest I wasn't sure if I'd like that style of story but I was curious enough to want to give it a try.  When I first started reading I didn't think it was going to be for me as it felt so different to reading a normal book but within about 15-20 pages I'd got into the rhythm and the story got it's claws into me.  I then found I couldn't put it down, I kept thinking just a few more pages and I'll stop reading but the next thing I knew I found myself at the end of the book.  It really was a quick read but that doesn't make it any less special.

If you've ever lost someone that you love, be it a family member or a friend, then I'm sure you'll find it easy to relate to both Brooklyn and Nico.  They are both struggling to cope with the empty space Lucca has left in their lives.  Neither of them really feel they have anyone they can turn to so the connection between them builds really quickly when they start talking.  Although both of them deal with things in different ways it was easy to see their pain and I really felt it alongside them.

Chasing Brooklyn is a powerful story about love, loss and grief but it also has a very positive theme about moving on with life.  People often say "things will get better in time" and that never seems believable when you're in a difficult situation or have lost someone you love but this novel helps to show that it really is true.  It may not be easy to see a way forward but you just have to take one step at a time and when you least expect it you'll suddenly find the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have to say that I don't think verse novels are going to be for everyone but if you've never tried reading one before Chasing Brooklyn would be a good one to start with.  Lisa Schroeder has a style of writing that sucks you in and I found the story more powerful in verse than it probably would have been as a standard novel.  This may be the first book I've read by this author but it definitely won't be the last and I'd really recommend that everyone give it a try. 

Source: Received as part of a book tour arranged by International Book Tours, this book has already been sent on to it's next destination.

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