Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

Title: Chasing Brooklyn

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Pages: 412

Published: January 2010 by Simon and Schuster

ISBN: 9781416991687

Source: ARC from 1 ARC Tours

Description: 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.

I Give This ...

I have to admit something ... if one of my daughter's names (or mine) is on a book cover, I'm going to pick it up.   But, the description of this book sounded so haunting and the cover just added to it.  I was curious.

I'm glad I've finally gotten to read it.  I never thought that an entire 400+ page novel written in verse could work so well.  But, it's beautiful.  Brooklyn is a very moving female character.  You can tell just how deeply she carried for Lucca.  You see her really fight to move on with her life, but her grief just consumes her.  When she she starts seeing Gabe's ghost, you can't help but be frightened right along with her.

I was hesitate on Nico at first.  But, I think we're suppose to be.  He is after all Lucca's brother.  I like how the author slowly brings his personality to the pages.   I think we see him just as a brother at first until he becomes his own person.  He comes to life and you realize that maybe that Nico and Brooklyn can help each other if they can just get past their connections to Lucca.

The novel was really well done and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I can't wait to read something else by Lisa Schroeder.