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 ❤️🫶🏾😫!!!!

I thought it was good and different. Didn't realize the author has passed away before the release of this publication that she actually passed away last year. The book starts out with Brooklyn being murdered and how she is shocked by the reveal of her killer. The book then backtracks to Brooklyn's earlier life in Staten Island. The mystery is not who killed Brooklyn, but who didn't want to kill her. Brooklyn, a preacher's kid and eldest of two daughters has always been a rebel. Finding the church life boring and hypocritical especially watching her parents perform, she learned about hustling from them. A life altering event with her step Uncle, which her mother refused to believe even though her aunt believed her and her father went to kill him, but his lovely church wife asked him to pray and remember the funding they are about to receive and how the church and community would love some gossip as well as Brooklyn being under scrutiny, it is brushed under the rug. Brooklyn realizes at that point that she is on her own. Cutting class and finding out secrets about her brother, Amir the two agree to cover for each other until Brooklyn is busted. She betrays her brother and her life continues to spiral out of control living the fast cash life on the streets. Men like her looks and women can't stand her. She lives her life selfishly and blames everyone who doesn't fall in line with her plans.

Brooklyn is set in NYC in the early 90's and spans through the 2000's, depicting the story of a teenage girl, Brooklyn, who faces a traumatic event at a young age and is unsupported by her mother. This has a domino effect on how she interacts in subsequent relationships throughout her life and we get to bear witness to it. Tracy Brown did an excellent job of weaving traumatic response into Brooklyn's interactions with others, as sad as it was to read. By the last half of the novel, I both loved and loathed Brooklyn, hoping she would get out of her own way. It was a page turner and I was consumed towards the end of the novel but I do wish it was a bit more fleshed out for us. All in all, it was a captivating story and an emotional journey!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC of this novel. RIP to Tracy Brown, an author that I wish I had discovered prior to her passing but will be reading in the years to come.

When I selected this novel from NetGalley I was unaware that the author passed away just a few days after submitting this manuscript. There is no way that knowledge can’t affect the perception of this book. I feel remiss that I haven’t read more of this late author’s work. Her voice is distinctive and Brooklyn is a memorable character for better or worse.

I can see how people may not like this story. Brooklyn is far from likable. Her life is filled with decisive actions. But what’s important to remember is actions have motivations. It is up to the reader to determine throughout the journey as self-sabotage, self-survival or just plain selfish.

Upon looking into the late author’s catalogue, I noticed she set her novels in Staten Island. This one reaches to other parts of the Eastern US, including DC, Virginia and Maryland in addition to New York. The parts I was personally familiar with do ring true.

The other strength of the novel is characterization. The supporting players in Brooklyn’s life could have been one dimensional. This is, at its core, the story of a young woman leaving her religious strict upbringing for a faced-paced life of drug hustling. But in my opinion Brooklyn keeps looking for unconditional acceptance and love, but doesn’t quite understand that even being in a family can be work.

What she wants she cannot have. For no other reason that it doesn’t exist. But the last part is where I got completely shocked. There is a last second twist which makes more sense the more you marinate on it. Could the story really ended any other way?

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC of this novel. I won’t be forgetting The novel or the MC anytime soon.

**Spoilers** I received this has an ARC . I really wanted to love Brooklyn, the main character, but I hated her. I am wondering if that was the point of the story. Brooklyn tells the story of a young , overly ambitious, black teenager. Brooklyn is also a preachers kid. In the beginning of the story I felt sorry for Brooklyn because of an incident with a a male close to the family . Her mother Sabrina did not believe her so I felt that this set her on the long road to distraction.

Brooklyn then sets her eyes on the fast life of drugs, sex, and money. The story is familiar to The coldest Winter Ever and Flyy girl. I wanted to love it so much but the time jumps made the story seem rushed. There is no point in the story where Brooklyn actually learns a lesson and changes her life for the better. Her actions lead to her untimely death.

Brooklyn is a confident, upbeat young girl, who’s entranced by the high life and the harming city of New York. Having grown up under the intensely close and scrutinizing eyes of her religious parents, she vowed to leave and make something of herself.

This novel walks with Brooklyn from the ripe age of 17 and so on. It is about familial drama and the weight of the choices that we make that ultimately make or break the life we’re building. Haunted by the choices that she makes early on, Brooklyn discover that survival comes at the highest price of sacrifice.

Ugh, I cried at some parts of this book because I resonate with Brooklyn and also I was sad for her. Sad for the deep pain and reality of not knowing love and how loved you are and what it looks like to fight for reconciliation. To fight for space because you know that you deserve love. This book is heavy and real and raw. It's about survival and differentiating between self preservation and redemption. A powerful story about influence and what a little compassion could do, if we only made the choice to care.

I think I gave it 3 stars, because I really struggled with the explicitly of the sexual relationships showcased in this book. I am not one to glorify underaged sexual encounters regardless of consent and I recognize the time period and how real that presentation is, I just think there’s a fine line between awareness and glorification and it comes with the language that we choose to describe such things. I think it's important for there to be a development of understanding how that choice was coerced or influenced.

Brooklyn by Tracy Brown is a gripping tale of manipulation, survival, and the high-stakes world of hustling, where the lines between right and wrong blur into shades of gray. The story centers around Brooklyn, a master manipulator and serial survivor who is both ruthless and captivating in her pursuit of power.

The narrative unfolds as Brooklyn faces the consequences of her actions, with her life slipping away. The novel skillfully weaves together the past and present, allowing readers to understand the events that shaped Brooklyn into the calculating force she became. Raised in a family that used the church as a means of financial gain, Brooklyn rebels against her parents and embarks on a journey to become a woman who sets her own rules.

The author skillfully portrays Brooklyn's journey from a vulnerable young woman to a ruthless force, burning bridges and breaking hearts in her wake. The character development is nuanced, revealing the layers of Brooklyn's personality and the motivations driving her actions.

I did have a few issues with the book including the pacing, overall character arc, and relationship building between the character. I wish there was a large overarching plot thread throughout the book instead of just scene after scene.

This was such an amazing read! I read this in less than 24 hours. Brooklyn’s character development was great, I felt like I knew. I could really understand and relate to her need for survival. To make so many enemies in such a short amount of time but too late to make it right is a plot that some people know all too well. Brooklyn was going through it in this book! I felt so bad for her, everyone failed her and ultimately led to her demise.

This was such a great read, and this was my first book I read of Tracy Brown’s and won’t be the last! I haven’t read an urban fiction book in years and this has definitely brought my love for it back to life! The sinister sneaky and crazy ways of Brooklyn is wild! Reading her story and how she ended up the way she did and why she was so manipulative and guarded, and selfish it was just to protect herself cause if she didn’t who will?? Great read and definitely recommend!

Brooklyn is a riveting tale that grabs a hold of every last emotion and pulls them all to the forefront!

“I wake up every day here and I know exactly what to expect. I know I don’t belong here. I want to leave all this behind and be in charge of my own thing.”

~Brooklyn Melody James

Love, friendship, family, heartbreak, betrayal, selfishness, the fast life, and what’s left at the end of it all. It's heartbreaking realizing this is the final masterpiece from a brilliant story teller.

"I can’t believe this is how it ends. I’ve been slick and slippery my whole life. One step ahead of everyone else. I pride myself on that. But I f*cked up this time. And I’m about to pay for it with my life."

~Brooklyn James (inner monologue

This ARC from NetGalley was sent for review consideration. All opinions are that of Bourbon Street Bookers.

So thankful to have been chosen to give a review of this book. I’ve been a fan of Tracy Brown and knowing this was her last piece of work made it extra special. Very “Coldest Winter Ever” - esque, I both loved and loathed Brooklyn. Life dealt her a bad time but she has a special knack for turning a bad hand into the worst possible scenario. The book had moments of intense momentum and other times it felt like it dragged - something I find consistent with Tracy Brown’s works. Thankfully, she endears you so strongly to the characters that you ride the wave with no objections. 5 stars…