RIP Tracy Brown!! A great storyteller/author gone too soon. I have been a fan of every Tracy Brown book and this one didn't disappoint either. Brooklyn is an urban fiction novel about Brooklyn James. Brooklyn James is a young girl from a very religious home who runs away when her family is in turmoil. Throughout the book we witness Brooklyn's struggle to navigate adulthood without guidance, often sabotaging her own relationships along the way. Overall Brooklyn is a child who wants to be grown but has no idea what she is doing. Tracy Brown takes the reader on a journey full of raw emotions with this book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for my ARC of Brooklyn!

RIP Tracy Brown 🙏. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. I’m a big fan of Tracy Brown, she has a way of making you think about her characters long after you’re done the book. In this book we follow Brooklyn in 90’s NY. We know from the beginning of the book what will happen to her at the end of the book, but it’s still so heartbreaking. Brooklyn is portrayed as a selfish and entitled girl. But she’s a survivor and will do anything in order to survive and gets what she wants. But I don’t blame her and see how her childhood and her parents had a strong influence in shaping who she is. You want to hate her, but you can’t. Just like in the authors other book, Hold You Down, she gets you to feel these strong emotions toward the characters.

Whew! First, RIP Tracy Brown. This is my first book from the author, and I will go back and read her catalog that she left for this world based on this read!

Secondly, thank you to Griffin books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Brooklyn” is a story of family turmoil, trauma, and revenge. Brooklyn was a privileged child who decided to get it out the mud. The beginning of this book was pretty fast pace until the 70% mark when it slowed a bit but picked back up quickly. As the saying goes “you die by the life you live” but I was in no way expecting this ending!

Thank you to St. Martin's press for the physical and e-ARC of Brooklyn. Even after her passing, Tracy will always be a legend in the Black community and while I love the way Tracy Brown writes her stories, unfortunately Brooklyn wasn't for me.

I love the way Tracy Brown crafts stories and characters! Her books leave you satisfied and really thinking about these people as if you are gonna walk out of the door and see them.

My only issue with this story is that the ending felt rushed. I don’t know if the story was completely finished before the author passed or if she had plans for a sequel. Either way this story is worth a read and would make for a great book club discussion. #RIPTracyBrown

An over the top melodrama that I had to put down but which others might well enjoy. Brooklyn's extended family is torn apart and her world shredded when she is assaulted by her "uncle." What set her down a path into bad relationships- first with Alonzo and then with Hassan and others? She's an unpleasant person (what she does to her brother in unforgivable) who thinks only of herself. I eventually put this down, exhausted by the tumult and disgusted with Brooklyn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I've enjoyed Brown's work in the past but this was a miss for me.

I was excited to read this book being that it was Tracy Brown’s last book that she wrote. Overall the book was okay. Brooklyn was a hard character to like as she was very selfish. The storyline was missing something but I can’t really explain what, but something more was needed. The ending wasn’t a surprise as I knew who did it early on in the book. It was predictable.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher & of course the author for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Every time we get close to our destiny, the devil sends a diversion to make us lose focus.”

In true Tracy Brown form this book swept me up and took me on a ride. We meet Brooklyn as a teenager living the soft life of being a pastor’s daughter with many expectations. Brooklyn is one of three children and her life is consumed with church life and being a good Christian girl, but she longs for more. Living in the suburbs she begins skipping school and taking the ferry to NYC to soak up the life she wants to live and before long she gets wrapped up in the drug life. There were so many moments throughout this story that I truly wanted to shake Brooklyn and knock some sense into her. The story is tragic and is the perfect cautionary tale of growing up too fast and being careful of what you wish for.

This story is amazingly written and draws upon all emotions. After reading the book, I've been torn between giving it between a 3 star and 4 star rating. The story tells of a young woman trying to break away from her strict and hypocritical religious upbringing. The plot is nicely written, but some portions of the book are predictable and not much of a surprise. I couldn't decide if I wanted to keep reading at times, however Tracy had a way of drawing you back into the book with it's varies twist. I will say the ending was very unexpected and almost left me wanting more. Overall, I would say this book isn't one of her best works, but it is definitely worth a read.

I received the eARC from Net Galley to read early. I loved Hold You Down by Tracy Brown! I was sad to hear of her passing. When I heard that her last book would be released posthumously I knew I had to read it! Brooklyn is the tale of a young girl desperately trying to find her way in life. She leaves home in hopes of building the life she has always dreamed of but gets caught up in situations that always leave her back at square one. The common denominator…Brooklyn. She is a selfish girl but I think she felt she had to be that way because she never felt anyone ever stood up for her when she was younger. This is a sad tale of a family full of secrets and lies. Her downfall was caused by someone she never would have expected. Great book!

There’s an old saying that “when you live by the streets you die by the streets” and those words definitely held true for Brooklyn. She made and lived her life by her own rules and that path proved to be destructive for her. She burned many people and bridges in the end it cost her life. This was another page turner for Tracy Brown who I pray is Resting In Paradise.

It's a hard knock life for Brooklyn and when you live fast, you may die young.

Brooklyn is a book that goes from 0 to 100 real quick and its best that you read this when you have a full day to do so. I promise you will not be able to walk away. Tracy Brown wrote an absolute page turner that will have your emotions and your blood pressure higher than a rocket. In true TB fashion the drama doesn't let up and just when you think it has to get better, it doubles down.

Creatively the prologue starts with the death scene of our main character and then rewinds time back to the moment that changed our FMCs course. The entire book it written so vividly it plays out like a movie in your head. That being said, it is important to read the content warnings because this book is real, raw and heavy. Your moral compass may be called into question and you will forced to evaluate what you would be willing to do to survive. Will you beg, borrow or steal?

This historical fiction, murder mystery is the rare occasion that that doesn't have you asking who did it and what for? The longer you read this unlikable character the more you start to think to yourself.... Yeah, I can see why someone felt that this chick had to go.

I highly recommend picking up Brooklyn!

ARC REVIEW
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read How: 📖📱
Genre: Contemporay Urban Mystery
Setting: NYC and DMV

First I want to say Rest In Peace Tracy Brown. I am so happy I got to read your last book and I looked into your previous books.

Blurb:
From the first page, the readers witness Brooklyn being murdered however, we get to see the web of lies, heartache, and betrayals that lead to her death. Brooklyn was a beautiful prodigal preacher’s daughter from Staten Island. She was willing to sacrifice her family to gain her freedom and start fresh. Brooklyn started hanging with hustlers and became part of their inner circle however, driving by her ambitions and desire to survive caused her to betray her friends.

Brooklyn had my attention from the first page and I just couldn’t stop. I thought this book was captivating, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking.
Brooklyn kept stressing me out throughout this book 🤣 still I kept rooting for her but DAMN GIRL!!! I am not saying she is not dead wrong however, she is the product of her circumstances. I can’t imagine telling my mother that my uncle touched me inappropriately and her response to me is I made up. I understood the dysfunction within her family but the baby girl made it 16-17 years in that home she could have waited one more year. Brooklyn wanted to grow up so fast and she made really poor decisions but most of all screwed over the people that loved her the most. Could she have gone to therapy? I know it was the early 2000 but therapy would have helped unpack some of her trauma.
The ending was surprising but expected at the same time.

Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ebook and physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

withholdinng review due to the smp review press boycott. tyssm for the arc, but i wont review this until its resolved. thanks

Absolute pager turner.

Mystery/ DRAMA

Brooklyn has grown up as the oldest daughter of a preacher and his social climbing wife very restricted and not listened to-naturally rebels 👀. But Brooklyn makes the worst decisions and burns any bridge she’s ever had. So the question really is who wouldn’t kill her?

This was unlike anything I have read before. You know from the first scene Brooklyn is murdered and you go back through her life until she ends up brutally strangled meeting all the people that would have wanted her dead. And honestly. Brooklyn is the worst. When her back is against the wall she will bring everyone down with her, she never learns and is incredibly selfish. It was definitely a wild ride and kept me so engaged the whole time.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

In the week since I have read this book, I have been see-sawing between a 2 star and a 3 star. The story of a young woman( Brooklyn) growing up in a conservative Christian family with a preacher father who finds herself fallen out of her family's favor and onto a road of bad choices. The story begins with the end of her story and then readers are led back to all the events that led to Brooklyn's final days.

This was a terrifically written story that was slathered in high dramatic moments and heartache. It reminded me a bit of the television series Greenleaf (2016-2020). Maybe because of all the drama and the preacher father. It's also not a story where I can say that I liked every character but I sure did feel empathy for a few. The ending was deliciously good- not surprising of a turn, more sadness that it had to end that way.

But it left me deeply unsettled and conflicted over whether I really wanted to finish the book. In the end, I am glad that I persevered because as I mentioned the ending was - so good. Also, nobody can deny that Tracy Brown could keep a reader on the edge of their seat. I would like to explore more of her other titles in the future.

After all, I will keep it at a 3 star.




Expected Publication Date 27/02/24
Goodreads Review Date 16/02/24

I was honored to receive this ARC of the late Tracy Brown’s last work. I should have known I’d be in for a wild ride because Miss Tracy always delivers! This novel begins with our main character, Brooklyn James, fighting for her life as she is looking into the eyes of her murderer. We don’t know who would want to hurt her or why, but we find out soon enough just how long that list of suspects is and what Brooklyn did to piss all those people off.

I was instantly drawn in and only became more engrossed as the chapters went on. While I loved the story itself, I found myself sooo annoyed with Brooklyn and her poor decision-making. It’s very rare that I dislike a MC but wow, I’m almost certain Brooklyn’s main goal in life was to make everyone to hate her. I do extend her some grace because she experienced a lot of trauma growing up but that doesn’t excuse her terrible behavior and lack of regard for others. I had so much hope that she'd mature and stop burning bridges but that girl was stubborn!

𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚕𝚢𝚗 is an overall great read with a surprising twist at the end. My urban fiction lovers, pick this one up ASAP but prepare to be STRESSED and FED UP, lol. Definitely make sure to check the content warnings before you read.

Rating: 🗽🗽🗽🗽.5/5

RIP Tracy Brown!! I can’t express enough gratitude for this last amazing work!! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this e-ARC via NetGalley. All opinions in this review are 100% my own.

Once I picked this up, it was hard for me to put it down! The story is primarily following the main character Brooklyn and she is such an interesting character. There were moments when I could really empathize with Brooklyn and the situations she found herself in but there were other times when I felt like she caused her own downfall. There were characters in this story that were really unlikeable, for instance her mother, but it was interesting to learn about her family and why Brooklyn turned out the way she did. This story brought all the drama and secrets you could ask for. It was fast paced with something continuously happening to Brooklyn. There are content warnings to look out for such as sexual assault and suicide but this is a book that I would highly recommend to others!

This is a story featuring a character that is difficult to find any love for. Her actions seem to make her the very thing she hates. This story is a mystery that had me turning the pages and marveling at this author's talent.

Out February 27, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Tracy Brown was one of the most underrated writers P E R I O D!!! This book, this book, this book ❤️🫶🏾😫!!!!