Chasing Brooklyn By Lisa Schroeder - Review

First let me start off by saying this is my second Lisa Schroeder novel, the first being I Heart You, You Haunt Me. As such, I knew Lisa's unique writing style from the get go...and I just knew this would be a novel that I would devour in one day, which I did – ½ a day actually.

Lisa's writing style is extremely unique. Each of her novels is actually written in poetic verse, not a typical sentence structure. It's not a style I have ever come across before, that is until I entered Lisa's amazing world! Actually when first starting I Hear You, You Haunt Me, I worried that there would be missing pieces and perhaps lacking character development, but I was totally wrong!

Both I Heart You, You Haunt Me as well as Chasing Brooklyn, draw you in from the first few sentences and never let you go. Here is the synopsis via goodreads:

Restless souls and empty hearts.

Brooklyn can’t sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca died a year ago, and now their friend Gabe has 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 chasing her through her dreams.

Nico can’t stop. He’s always running, trying so hard not to feel the pain of missing Lucca. But when he begins receiving messages from his dead brother, telling him 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.

Each chapter in Chasing Brooklyn switches narrative, from Brooklyn herself to Nico – which was different from I Heart You, You Haunt Me – which is written in only Ava's point of view...and at first I found myself flipping back to the beginning of each chapter occasionally to see "who" was thinking what. Though that did NOT last long, with in the first 3 or 4 "chapters" I was in the swing of things, and totally could tell each of them apart.

Brooklyn being full of so much self doubt, being so strong underneath the surface but yet never trusting herself...she's scared to know who she is with out Lucca, the one person who loved her, weather she knew who she was or not.

Then there's Nico, beautiful strong Nico – he's a powerhouse. Full of determination, strength and honor – this boy though flawed himself has a strength I am not sure I could have had, after the loss of a sibling.

Both of these characters are survivors, each in there own way – but each with an amazing strength. There need to want to pull though, brings them together – but something stronger keeps pushing at them to keep working, trying harder to not only survive but also to perhaps one day be happy.

Chasing Brooklyn is all about, finding yourself and learning to live, even if life is not perfect...not to mention allowing yourself to not only find love but to be loved as well.

Along with I Heart You, You Haunt Me – this novel will stick with me for a long time...I have always believed in ghosts but though Lisa's amazing writing, I am very sure now that people I have loved and lost are out there, looking out for me, and loving me, still – wishing only 2 things for me, that one I keep moving forward and two that I just be happy!

Chasing Brooklyn is a hauntingly beautiful, and emotional read – one that I will not soon forget nor do I want to. I urge you if you have yet to read anything by Lisa Schroeder that you go grab one of her books! I can't comment yet on Far From You (I actually can now, since I have read it since I wrote this review, it's AMAZING!) but I can only imagine it's awesome.

Oh and BTW, though Ava from I Hear You, You Haunt me does make an appearance with in the pages of Chasing Brooklyn you do not have to read that book, for this one to make sense!

I almost forgot one of my other most favorite things about Chasing Brooklyn – other than the awesome characters and the amazing writing – Lisa includes A LOT of music with in the pages of this novel. From things I had never heard of to bands and titles that I have loved for a long time. It was so neat to have yet another connection with the characters. I have even searched out on Itunes some of the songs/artists and downloaded some new music I had never heard before! There's some really great stuff, that went along just perfectly with the story itself.

Bottom Line – Chasing Brooklyn is an amazing novel, with a beautiful message. I give it 5 mushrooms and I can't wait for Lisa Schroeder's next book!

Chasing Brooklyn
Written by: Lisa Schroeder
412 Pages
Published: January 5, 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster