Kiera is a Young Black woman living in a hotel in Oakland and trying to care for her brother Marcus who has dreams of becoming a successful hip hop artist. Kiera's mother is in prison and the two need to fend for themselves.
This story is raw and heart wrenching as the author depicts a life which seems to hold no good future, but Kiera maintains her dignity, respect, and compassion as she cares for her neighbor's Young son and struggles for survival.
A compelling debut novel by a Young author who speaks with wisdom and knowledge.

WOW!!! Nightcrawling is raw, engaging, brutal, heartbreaking and hopeful. It is beautifully written by Leila Mottley who seems far more streetwise than any 17 year old could possibly be. My hope is her wisdom has come from research and not real life experiences. This story is based on a real 2015 Oakland case involving the police who were sexually involved with the young girls making a living on the streets trying to survive life. This novel not only covers the case but also gives you a look at the life of the accuser and what she was going through in life to lead to her decisions on the streets. I can't say enough about the written words in this novel. Truly mind-blowing. I can't wait to see what other stories are in the heart of Leila Mottley. Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of Nightcrawling. It's available on June 7, 2022. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy.

Sometimes you find a character that gets under your skin and becomes a part of your heart. Kiara, child of the hood and the streets; whose life is mapped out for her because of the circumstances she finds herself in, is the main character of, "Nightcrawler". While reading her story, and days after, my waking thoughts often drifted toward her plight. I ached for her and pulled for her and wanted everything to turn out right for her. Because, like so many real Kiaras, life has been cruel, and may always be so.

This story was so compelling. The writing was absolutely terrific. That a 17 year old wrote this novel is a marvel. And one can only anticipate the work this teenager will produce as she grows older. I look forward to the other books she will write. I was awed by this brilliant work and highly recommend it.

So so so good! I still can’t even write a review that does this beautiful story justice. I’ll be back write a more detailed review.

Wow! This novel gutted me. A wonderfully but tragically drawn look at a family living on the edge. Written in a manner that suggests that the story is merely a snapshot of a life, this was a difficult, but rewarding read. SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT: because of the way this story is told, the ending does not wrap up everything with a bow, although it does have a hopeful bent.

I would have read this book to the end but I needed to get up in the morning to go to work or else I would have finished this in one sitting. Kiara is living on the edge. She has her nephew Trevor relying on her to be stable in his life since his mom is not, her brother has rap dreams (and no job) and at seventeen and a high school dropout Kiara is living an unstable life on the edge of society, extremely poor, black, and without many options and with rent due she looks for work to support herself. There isn't much in her corner of the Hood so she does what she has to do to survive. This is a story that can be told by many young, poor, black women on the edges of society trying to make a way out of no way. This book is thoroughly engaging, tragic and has slivers of hope at the end.

This book was an emotional journey and very enlightening for me. A well told story based on real events from a young, promising author. Young Kiara has such a good heart and is just trying to make it under some very difficult circumstances. Her mom and brother are in jail, her neighbor is irresponsible, so Kiara looks after her neighbor’s son, the landlord is raising rent, and on and on. Sure, she made some bad decisions, but considering her age and the circumstances, fighting to afford food and rent, she tries to do anything to raise money. Although this is a work of fiction, it is so sad this is reality for some. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Nightcrawling is good. Really good. Gripping, heart wrenching, sick to your stomach good. It's a novel, but it feels like the diary of a real teenager. Kiara. Her father is dead. Her mom is in a halfway house. She’s trying to take care of a neighbor child whose mother neglects him. Her brother is too busy trying to make it as a rapper to bring in money in any way besides dealing drugs. The rent is going up. Kiara is a high school dropout who is too young to get a job. So she starts selling herself - first to anyone on the street, then to the cops who pick her up. Sometimes they pay her, sometimes they just tell her she's lucky they don't put her in jail. Sometimes they use her at parties. They know she’s under age and has no other options.

People, even friends and family, act like she made a choice because she wanted to sell her body on the street. Everyone she knows is dealing with their own stuff. No one realizes (or cares) how desperate her situation is, and how deep she is in with the cops.

The author of Nightcrawling is an Oakland Youth Poet Laureate who was born and raised and still lives in Oakland, California. Her familiarity with the city shows in Nightcrawling (which is her first novel). The plot was inspired by a real incident in the Oakland Police Department in 2015. The 17-year-old protagonist speaks with a rhythm like poet:

“Alé is one of the lucky ones. Her family’s restaurant is a neighborhood staple, and even though they can’t afford more than the one bedroom above the shop, she’s never been hungry a day in her life. It’s all degrees of being alive out here and every time I hug her or watch her skate down the sidewalk, I can feel how strong her heartbeat is. It doesn’t matter how lucky you are, though, because you still gotta work day in and day out trying to stay alive while someone else falls through the cracks, ashes scattered in the bay.” (p. 16 of the advance reader copy)

Some readers may find the prose too much like poetry, but since the book is narrated by one character, it totally worked for me. Kiara’s voice is strong.

There are a lot of secondary characters but I was able to keep them straight because the author’s observations about them ring hard and true. For instance, of the newly appointed chief of police, she writes: “Talbot stands up as we enter and we complete every cross of handshaking. She’s short, racially ambiguous in that way that makes me sure people asked her what she was growing up and she probably just responded with ‘human’ because when you blur every line it’s easier to become rigid and frank like Talbot.” (p. 190 of the advance reader copy)

The ending fell a bit flat for me, but this book reads like real life, not a Hollywood movie, so that’s okay. Kiara’s journey is worth reading about. This book isn't like The Hate U Give, but it reminds me of it in all the best ways. If you enjoy reading realistic stories that feature memorable voices and force you to confront some uncomfortable truths, I highly recommend Nightcrawling.

I read an advance reader copy of Nightcrawling from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published on June 7, and you will be able to check it out at the Galesburg Public Library.

Excellently written by a then 17 year old, Leila Mottley in her debut novel NIGHTCRAWLING speaks of the pain, sacrifices and burdens placed on Black women and how over and over again they are taken for granted, abused and silenced.

Told through the eyes of young Kiara Johnson, we see her struggle with the demands of life. Her mother is absent, for suspicious reasons that unfold over time and her older brother spends all his time and money in the recording studio focusing on his own ambitions. While struggling to pay the rent Kiara is drawn to also protect and provide for her 9 year old neighbour, Trevor, who’s own mother is constantly leaving him alone to fend for himself.

“That boy is a wonder. He’s my autumn rain. My last picture of the sun before it sets. Daytime is not possible without Trevor. Not even sure the sun comes out without Trevor.”

When Kiara is unable to find a job she takes to the streets and finds herself thrust into the life of a sex worker and discovers a deep web of corruption in the Oakland Police Department.

I must admit when I read the synopsis, I had no idea that the story would take this direction. At times I found it incredibly difficult and triggering to read, the sexual exploitation is honest and raw in it’s descriptions. But wow is the book wonderfully gripping, there is a rhythm and motion of the language that speaks to the city of Oakland. It pulls at the heart strings, expressing the unwavering love of family and the vulnerability of those who are rarely given a voice.

“Even after everything he’s put me through, that’s all it takes for me to want to help him. If he’s ready to ask something of me instead of just taking it, then I will walk to the ends of the earth for him.”

What makes this story all the more poignant and disturbing is that it originates from a real life scandal within the Oakland Police Department.

“I’m starting to think there is no such thing as a good cop, that the uniform erases the person inside it”

This is a powerful story that will linger on your mind, I highly recommend it and will be looking out for whatever Mottley writes next but in the mean time add NIGHTCRAWLING to your pre-order list! It’s out in the UK May 24th and on June 7th in the US.

4.5✨

When the story opens we meet 17 year old Kiara Johnson. Kiara and her older brother Marcus live in the Regal-Hi Apartments. Their father passed away and their mother is in a halfway house after a stint in prison. They are barely making ends meet when they receive a notice their rent will be increasing. Marcus has dreams of making it big in the rap game. Kiara is just trying to figure out how to keep them afloat.

A case of mistaken identity or just dumb luck leads Kiara into sex work aka nightcrawling. Initially, nightcrawling provides Kiara with a way to keep her apartment and helps her take care of her young neighbor Trevor. Soon Kiara becomes a witness in a police corruption scandal and her world explodes.

The reader is taken on a journey through the streets of Oakland as Kiara tries to navigate the legal system and keep those she loves safe.

This was a slow and somewhat disjointed read for me. I contemplated DNF, but I pushed through. Though it was a decent read I feel like something was missing.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book seemed to be what I was looking for based on the description but I had difficult getting into it and gave up about 20% through. It felt too slow going for me, but I want to give it another try at a later date, especially because it’s received such rave reviews!

3.5 Stars

Kiara and her older brother Marcus are living on their own in an Oakland apartment and barely scraping by. Marcus has big dreams of becoming a rap star, while Kiara doesn't have the references to get a decent job. When their rent increase more than doubles, Kiara knows something has to change. She finds herself in a seedy strip club and after a misunderstanding with one of the patrons she realizes that she can make money to pay the bills by nightcrawling. She's soon embroiled in an investigation within the Oakland Police Department and unwanted attention follows her where she goes.

Leila Mottley wrote this book when she was 17 years old which blows my mind. Her poetic writing style is filled with raw, heartbreaking, beautiful words. She is definitely an author to watch. This book felt a little choppy to me as far as the timeline, but it was still easy to follow. Every sentence was dripping with poetry and it sometimes felt like a little much. When every sentence is so strong, it's hard for some of the best ones to stand out. She is an extremely talented writer and I look forward to reading more from her.

I went into reading this book with high expectations and the author and book did not disappoint.

Leila gives a raw look into life in Oakland and her book keeps you grasped and locked in from the first page. While I am not from Oakland, I have visited many times. Reading the descriptions she gave makes it so real.

There is a dark cloud within this novel made beautiful by Leila’s ability to weave a story with reality. A story of poverty, trauma, injustices and the reality of life’s difficulties but beautifully told.

This was one of the most emotionally wrenching books I have ever read. But it also exemplified the truest example of unconditional familial ((either blood or acquired family) love I’ve found in a novel. Abandoned by her Mother, her Father in prison, 17 year old high school dropout, Kiara is reduced to walking the streets in search of work to keep their apartment rent paid . Her slightly older brother has his head in the clouds and is determined to follow his dream to become a rap star. He isn’t much help in contributing to their expenses, yet she continues to struggle to keep him and a 9 year old neighbor, Trevor, fed and housed.. Trevor has essentially been abandoned, and Kiara mothers him, in spite of not being mothered herself. As she’s doing what’s necessary to support her “family”, she becomes a key witness in a big scandal in the Oakland Police Department. A female detective and a supportive lawyer empower her and provide the role models her life has been missing til this time. I was impressed that this was written by such a young debut author and can’t help wondering if any part of it is autobiographical. Enjoyed doesn’t seem the correct word for this novel, but suffice it to say that I really “felt” it. I appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley. #Nightcrawling

I just reviewed Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley. #Nightcrawling #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published June 7, 2022.

This is a difficult book to read due to the subject matter and content but it’s an important read. Based on true events and real statistics, police sexual violence against women is real.

Poor Kiara can’t get a break. With family members in jail and the need to take care of the little boy next door, 17 year old Kiara does what she has to do to avoid eviction in Oakland, CA.

Kiara and her brother Marcus are living in a rundown apartment in East Oakland. Kiara is 17-years-old. Marcus is a few years older. Their father died some years earlier and their mother has been in prison. They’ve both dropped out of high school and have been struggling to keep up with the bills. As the book opens Marcus has quit his job to work on becoming a rap artist. Kiara is barely working and then the rent is raised. Marcus will not help out and get a paying job. Kiara is left to figure out how to stay afloat on her own.

This book is amazing and brutal. Kiara’s heart is so big and she is so loyal that she will tear herself apart to keep her family together. There are some people who just don’t get a fair shot at life. This book is fiction but it’s inspired by real events. As tough of read as this is we at the very least owe it to the ones less fortunate to witness and acknowledge how hard things are for them.

Thanks to @netgalley and @knopfdoubleday for a copy of this book. It will be released on 6/7/22.

Wow, just wow. To know that Mottley was 17 when she started this is just so inspiring and something that I hope for, for my students. This story is so mature, so raw, and so needed. Based on true stories, this fictional work was HEAVY... People will be upset and it will probably be on the banned book list, so snatch it up now so you can see why. The rawness of the characters, the love that Kiera has for her family, it was a lot to take in at times. You think it's not real, this can't possibly happen and then you realize our America. Black families that become part of the system just don't have a hope to get out of their struggles but this family, like many others, made the best out of their situation.
I have not read any books about sex workers, so I have to admit it was jarring at times. This CHILD was, for all intent and purposes raped, but she never let it steal her hope of a better future. She always kept looking to the next day and I loved that.
I highly recommend and look forward to reading more by Mottley. She has a bright future, keeping it real and not dumbing anything down for the masses. I am so thankful for NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to pub date in June 2022!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the copy of Nightcrawling. This was beautifully written but was not an easy book to read. Kia was such a great character and I really felt for her. I loved how she was so strong and persevered through her hardships. With everything she was dealing with, she was still able to take care of Trevor. The love she showed for him was amazing to see.
The scandal she found herself embroiled in was realistic, as was the outcome.
This is a stunning debut and will really open your eyes to different lifestyles if you are open to learning about something that you have never encountered. I look forward to reading more from this author.

When I saw that the author wrote this at 17 and lived on the streets of Oakland, I was floored.

The language is what I would expect from a teenager. All the feels are there.

Kiara and her brother, Marcus, live in East Oakland. A roach-infested hovel. That is all they can afford and they honestly can’t afford that. While Marcus is pretending to make a rap record, Kiara is hustling all over the dirty streets of Oakland looking for money. Their family fell apart long ago when her mom went to prison. Just teenagers themselves, Kiara also looks out for the little boy next door whose mother is an addict and never home.

After one drunk misunderstanding with a man turns into a career on the streets called night crawling. And since the johns are the cops, she is in it until they say she isn’t.

But then her name is connected to an internal investigation in the police department. A huge scandal involving officers and prostitutes.

The last thing Kiara wants is to be in any kind of limelight. She just wants to live.

This book was not pretty to read. It was raw, ugly, and made me cry and cringe quite a bit. But I am glad I read it and I hope we hear from this author again!

NetGalley/ June 7th, 2022 by Knopf Publishing Group