Nightcrawling, by Leila Mottley, begins with teenage Kiara and her best friend carefully crashing a funeral to cadge a free meal and steal a sweater. This is the feel of the whole story — that a plate of snacks and a secondhand sweater is a good reason to fake grief, intrude on another family’s worst day, and do a little petty theft.

Kiara tries to get a job, but without wifi or a smartphone or a car, she’s basically walking door-to-door asking for work, and then explaining that she has no resume or work experience, and isn’t 18 yet. Obviously, it’s tough going, and her family’s rent has been raised. Kiara’s life in Oakland is remote, but it’s not entirely remote. Everyone’s been out of work and stressed about money, haven’t we? Kiara sees people doing jobs that she could easily do, if anyone would hire her, if she were 18, if she had a car and a resume, if she had any options at all.

Kiara’s brother Marcus is convinced that with one more month of working on his rap album, stardom and financial stability will arrive. And it’s not really a bad argument, for many creatives, a paid residency or a spouse with a solid job or family money can create the time and space for successful work, while for many people, having to hold down a job means postponing creative work, writing on the train, or whatever. The reader never gets the feeling that Marcus is an untalented hack or that the album is a ridiculous dream, just that while he gets to play and dream, someone else has to pay the bills. And that someone is Kiara.


Kiara stumbles into sex work, and thinks that it wasn’t so bad, she could just do it until they’ve paid off the overdue rent. Nightcrawling reminded me a bit of how I felt reading Push, by Sapphire, by which I mean that I was simultaneously noticing that I was reading powerful, expressive writing and also yuck. So much yuck.

One really intense element of Nightcrawling was directly inspired by a true story. In Oakland, California, in 2015, a police officer really did write a suicide note containing information that led to an investigation into sex trafficking and sexual abuse by other police officers. (The CNN link uses “dating” as a euphemism, and the NPR one uses calm, polite language, but still, all the trigger warnings for the story in these links.) Elements of this story appear in the novel, although it’s more than just a fictionalized account of the trial.

Nightcrawling is a difficult read, partly because I’ve completely burned out on the possibility of a redemption story where an abusive man (or men) gets caught and jailed. I had no hope that anyone who’d hurt and used Kiara would actually see consequences. If we, as a country, didn’t believe Christine Blasey Ford, with her clear, educated speech and professional appearance, who would believe a dropout with drug arrests in her family, against Oakland cops calling her a liar?

Nightcrawling has a complicated but believable protag, with a moving, harsh look at the non-choices of poverty. The expressive, poetic phrases in this novel don’t obfuscate the dark and revolting scenes, so you’ll need to be in the right mood for this one.

<a href="https://www.thefictionaddiction.com/nightcrawling-by-leila-mottley/">The Fiction Addiction</a>

The author of Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley, is only 19, however her writing skill, creativity and insight is mature beyond her years as she created a heartbreaking yet hopeful book about 17 year old Kiara Johnson's struggle in Oakland, CA, to keep her brother Marcus and the 10 year old neighbor she watches over safe, even if it means selling her body on the streets. The tragic subject is realistically portrayed, and sometimes difficult to read, yet the author's language is so beautiful and poetic (but sometimes dense and overwhelming), it draws the reader in, to love these broken characters, and cheer them as they strive to mend themselves to make a better world for others. I appreciated the love and strength portrayed that Kiara finds in caring for her neighbor Trevor and her friend Ale, giving hope for her future at the end, yet I would have loved some more definitive hint at a hopeful direction their lives might have for a better future. The author was inspired by a true story involving the Oakland Police and sexual exploitation of underage girls. Looking forward to reading more of this promising young author's work!

Immersive prose and a bleak outlook combine in this portrait of inner city deprivation. Not an uplifting tale, but a plausibly gritty one.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm amazed this is Leila Mottley's debut novel and she wrote it when she was 17. That's right she wrote this when she was 17!! She isn't even 20 yet! I'm just blown away. Nightcrawling is based on true events from the Oakland area as mentioned in the author's notes. The story is heartbreaking and sad. Life isn't sunshine and rainbows for everyone as much as others don't like to recognize it. I did listen to quite a bit of the novel via audiobook from Libby and would recommend it on audiobook for those who like audiobooks. I can't wait to see what Leila comes up with next.

Thanks to Knopf Doubleday/Penguin Random House for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit, I didn’t expect to be moved by this debut as much as I was. The book is about 17 year old Kiara, who ends up working on the streets in order to ensure she, her neighbor's son Trevor, and her brother, who believes he will one day be as good a rapper as their famous uncle, have a roof over their heads.

Mottley certainly has a way with words and makes even the most ordinary moments feel like they are special and noteworthy. The vivid descriptions made characters and their surroundings come to life, and I was able to quite easily visualise their lives and interactions. There were, unfortunately, also moments when these descriptions were a little excessive and redundant, and instead of adding to the story, mostly interrupted my reading flow, which I thought was a shame.

However, overall I still believe this to be a stunning and powerful debut and I was disgusted by the way Kiara was treated by the police and it was heartbreaking to witness the injustice she and her loved ones faced. I am sure the rawness and bleakness of this story will stay with me for quite some time.

3.5/5 stars.

🌟 🌟 BOOK REVIEW🌟 🌟 💫

This one is not for the faint hearted. You have been warned. That being said, let me try to break down what I loved about it and what I didn’t.
Is it an essential read- Yes! The inspiration behind the book as mentioned in the author’s notes is the 2015 suicide of officer Brendan O’ Brien leaving a note which started a widespread misconduct allegation which resulted in 4 Officers being fired and 7 being suspended by the Oakland Police department. However inspite of the fact that the girl in question was a teenager at the time of exploitation and inspite of the relationship falling under the category of statutory rape, the girl being underage, no criminal charges were pressed.

https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/07/oakland-police-officers-fired-sexual-misconduct-scandal

Are the characters well etched and memorable- a BIG Yes! The author wanted to go back to the aforementioned incident and tries to get into the psyche of the individual with her fictionalised protagonist Kiara. Kiara displays the strength and maturity way beyond her age in trying to keep her family together while things keep falling around- trying to even protect Trevor, her neighbor’s son amidst all this is admirable. Her support system in Ale is equally strong and their relationship, from being mimic thieves on Funeral days to feeding Kiara at her lowest, though heartbreaking is a pillar of strength for Kiara and the book. Marcus, him almost worshipping his uncle Ty and subsequent explosive encounter in the prison is beautifully written. Camila’s story is another highlight which captures the struggle of trans on streets. Finally the mother- you hate her, you feel for her and yet again your heart breaks when the mother daughter duo “let it out”

“Nobody learns to walk when they got weights inside they bellies. I want you to walk toward the water, baby. I want you to swim.”

Are there any glitches- Yes- this is not your typical fast paced page turner true crime- this asks you as a reader to devote your time.
Staggered as I was, it was written by a 17-year old who surely is a voice to remember, someone who wanted to highlight the violence against young brown and black girls. This was a tough read but definitely a must read.

“Letting the streets have you is like planning your own funeral. Streets always find you in the daylight, when you least expect them to. Night crawling up to me when the sun’s out”

A huge thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Knopf, Netgalley and Leila Mottley for the Arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

#Nightcrawling #NetGalley #BookReview

Absolutely amazing. The writing and the story are so hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking that you can’t help but feel like you’re swimming in the pool with Trevor, that you’re out on the streets with Camila, that you’re eating tacos with Alé - just brilliant. Kiara is a young street smart Black girl who lives with her older brother after their mother went to prison. She finds herself starving and unable to pay rent and her brother refuses to get a job, choosing to record his raps in hopes of making it big instead. She becomes a pseudo guardian to her 10 year old neighbor and she has to find a way to pay rent for them both and feed them. She has no choice and finds herself on the street at night looking for men to pay her.

This novel is based on the true story of Oakland cops who sexually exploited a young woman and covered it up in 2015, and the author started wiring this novel when she was 17. Cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Nightcrawling tells the story of Kiara, a 17 year old girl living with her brother, Marcus, in Oakland. Marcus dedicates all his time and effort to trying to make it big in the music world instead of working, their father passed away and their mother is gone, so Kiara is the one who has to find a way to keep a roof over her and her brother’s heads. She’s underage, a high school dropout with nothing to put on her resume, so she doesn’t have many choices and because of a drunken misunderstanding, she ends up nightcrawling. But her situation instead of even minimally improving spirals out of control, and Kiara finds herself in the middle of a scandalous investigation that can take everything from her.

I am in awe of this book. It’s incredibly emotional, bleak, and depressing, but Mottley’s literary voice is absolutely stunning. When I found out that she wasn’t even 20 when the novel was published, I was simply floored. The contents of this book are, to put it frankly, extremely sad to the point where it could border trauma porn, if not for Kiara’s relationships with some other characters, and if these things weren’t happening to real people in real life - Mottley mentions that her inspiration came from a 2015 sexual abuse investigation that also concerned the Oakland PD. I felt like a big part of this story was giving a voice to characters that don’t really get to be visible either in literature or real life, and I appreciated being able to read their narratives and take a moment to think about the world around us. That, combined with a hauntingly beautiful prose, makes reading this novel an unforgettable experience.

TLDR: Nightcrawling is a rich, hypnotic novel that forces the reader to think about such difficult themes as poverty, racism, and abuse, and rewards them with brief moments of joy and poetic and unique prose. Mottley is truly an author who can achieve unimaginable things and I can’t wait for her next novels.

Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for the free book.
This book is powerful. The writing is beautiful. The story is heartbreaking. And it's all written realistically. This story doesn't hide hard truths or events. It shows how life is so unfair and broken. It highlights the unjust and broken Oakland police department. While the story was hard to read at times, I was so invested in Kiara and those around her. She only wanted what was best, but to survive, she had to make impossible choices. I am so impressed by the author and the way she captured this story, which she started writing at 17! It is a remarkable and dark story, and I hope lots of readers can take the time to sit with it.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nightcrawling is a stunning debut novel by Leila Mottley. Mottley's writing style is powerful. Nightcrawling is raw and honest. I've never read anything like this before. . I'm still in awe that this is a debut novel. I could not put this one down. The main character, Kiara, was so well-developed and real. Her story was eye-opening. I couldn't imagine being 17-years-old and not having parents around and having to fend for yourself in a world that is ugly at times. Beautifully written! Looking forward to reading more from Mottley.

4.5 stars/5 stars

Had I not initially read online that the author was seventeen when she wrote Nightcrawling (which she also mentions in her Author’s Note), I never would have guessed it. The writing quality surpassed that of many books I’ve read by older authors. It’s clear that Leila Mottley has a mature grasp on the darkness life can dole out. While the reality she sculpts into this story is a harsh one, she approaches it with grace and beauty.

I do wish, because of all I noted above, that I had liked this more. Mottley’s prose is lyrical, but the overabundance of metaphors robbed from its richness. I was mesmerized at first, but found myself feeling drained in the second half. The pacing slowed to a crawl for me as the story went on, which made this a bit of a chore to get through.

I can see why this book has received so much acclaim; why Oprah would put her seal of approval on it. It’s authentic and dark, which is typically my ideal combination, and it’s clear that Mottley has a compassionate and profound mind. My feelings about this debut won’t keep me away from whatever she writes in the future. She grappled with an important subject matter and I’d love to see what else she addresses as she continues to hone her craft.

I am immensely grateful to Knopf for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Motley is definitely a gifted writer and I think she will go far as she progresses with her writing. That being said, I couldn’t connect with this through out the whole book. Some parts were great and absolutely heart wrenching and other times I was just bored. Definitely an important and real topic that should be discussed but I can imagine it to be triggering for some.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This book got my pressure up. It’s heavy. It’s painful. It’s about survival. It’s an endless wheel of despair and desperation. Injustice. Trauma. Heartbreak.

The quick rundown: Kia is out here trying to make it. With rent and bills to pay and no help, she ends up nightcrawling, and puts herself and her brother in deep shit.

“We’re always trying to own men we don’t got no control of.
I’m tired of it. Tired of having to be out here thinking about all these people, all these things to keep me alive, keep them alive. I don’t got no air left for none of it.”
“Silence starves us, chile. Feed yoself.”
This right here! Love this writing!

Major trigger warning. This book ain’t a cute one. It is an important book to read, tho. It’s real. Real life ish.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #knopfpu

REVIEW

Nightcrawling ~ Leila Mottley

READ IF:
* You love stand-out debut novels.
* You’re a devoted Oprah Book Club reader
* Prose that reads like poetry is a writing style you can appreciate.

SUMMARY: Kiara is barely making it. On the streets of Oakland, she struggles to care for the people she loves - an older brother who spends nights in the studio hoping to finagle a record deal and a young neighbor who is as alone as she. With no mother or father to support her, Ki decides she must take some drastic measures, resorting to prostitution, known as “nightcrawling.”

A night with some members of the Oakland police department entangles her in a complicated and intense web of corruption further complicating what is already a desperate and devastating way of life.

REVIEW: This book! I truly regret that I read this when I was not in the reading mood because I have a feeling that this one will stand the test of time. Mottley (who is 19!!!) was hailed the 2018 Oakland poet laureate and it is clear in this stunning debut - her storytelling reads like one long poem, words beautifully woven together to tell Kiara’s devastating story. But this isn’t her story alone - a cast of characters color the Oakland nights helping to make this a memorable one (can I get an amen for pro-bono lawyer, Marsha?!)

But buyer beware - this is not for everyone. It’s dark and heartbreaking and hopeless at times, graphic with plenty of trigger warnings. Do your research, check our other reviews, read a little bit about Leila Mottley - see if it’s a good fit. Afraid I didn’t appreciate it until a little too late but happy I powdered through because wow, this will be a important book for years to come.

This is a quick read that I read in one sitting. It tells the story of Kiara, a 17 year old girl who turns to prostitution to make ends meet for herself, her older brother, and the 10 year old son of a neighbor who has essentially abandoned him. Kiara gets tangled up with cops who use her and abuse her and then her name comes out once an investigation into these cops is launched. This book is often bleak and hopeless. I am not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if not for the cops and investigation aspect of the story. I was left with a strong sense of how broken all of our systems are.

This is a really incredible book and I am impressed that it is a debut and was written by a 17 year old. Leila Mottley is so talented and I look forward to reading her future work. I also highly recommend listening to @thestackspod conversation with her, which gave me further insight to her thought process and helped inform my reading of this novel as I listened to it before I had read most of the book.

Our central character here is Kiara, a 17 year old Black girl in Oakland. She is struggling to do whatever she needs for survival. Her dad has died years before and her mom has been in jail. She lives with her older brother, Marcus, who is trying to become a rapper and doesn’t have a job. Kiara feels responsible for herself and Marcus (while also wanting him to step up and do more) as well as for her neighbor’s young son, Trevor. She tries to find a job at various local places but no one will hire her. To get the money that she needs for increased rent, she turns to the streets and sex work. The story shows how this happens almost by accident and then continues because it’s become the only way for her to afford to live.

This story is heartbreaking, as we see Kiara exploited by a group of cops, sometimes for money and sometimes in exchange for not arresting her. This is related to a true story from Oakland that I did not know about but will be reading more about. Seeing how everything unfolds with this case broke my heart for Kiara.

There are so many relationships highlighted here. One that I would have liked to read even more of is the relationship between Kiara and her best friend, Alé. I loved their love and how it was complicated and nuance and how Alé got mad at Kiara for her decisions sometimes because she cared. The relationship between Kiara and Trevor was also a powerful part of the story, as Kiara tries to fill the void of his absent mother.

There is a lot in this book to unpack and I’m sure it would make for a great discussion. If you’ve read this, let me know what you thought.

When Kiara can't find a job and needs to pay the bills, she turns to prositution. Unfortunately, her best customers are police officers. When she gets involved in an investigation into police corruption, it affects everyone she loves. Wow. This one was good. Raw and honest. This is will be a book that's talked about. Highly recommended.

A powerful read that will stick with me.. Kiara, the teenaged protagonist, is a character I found myself rooting for. The prose brought her off the page and to life. Kiara’s experience, and those in her life, show how what we want to happen and what actually happens in life are often out of our control. While filled with injustice there’s also a lot of compassion. A tough and worthwhile read.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a dark and gritty contemporary fiction about a 17 year-old girl in Oakland, CA struggling to take care of herself and older brother. It's based on the true story of a young girl that was sexually abused by a group of police officers. The abuse was difficult to read at times, but it's an important story to read and is further evidence of how broken the system is at times.

Kiara and her brother Marcus are barely surviving. Their father is dead and their mother is in prison. Kiara scrambles to pay the rent while Marcus tries to make it as a rapper. When their rent increases, and the nine year-old next door is abandoned by his mother, Kiara feels the pressure to keep it together. With little options available to her, she turns to prostitution to earn money. An encounter with a stranger at a bar changes her life forever. The stranger was a police officer and Kiara finds herself passed around from officer to officer, summoned to parties to entertain them, sometimes paid and oftentimes not. When the situation comes to light, Kiara is caught in the investigation and is compelled to cooperate as a witness.

This book is written in a way that made it feel like the author was sitting in my living room telling me a story. It was a bit stiff and dispassionate, but if someone were telling you this story, that's how you'd expect it to be told. To do otherwise would break them. Some of the conversations were stilted, some of the scenarios that were depicted didn't seem to have any point to the overall story, and it was depressing to read because nothing good ever seemed to happen. But that's the point, after all. It's not a happy tale - it's raw and gritty and awful. I had not heard of this scandal before I read the book. Since then I have read several articles about it and am shocked by what I read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Kiara Johnson is. Seventeen year old who is struggling to make ends meet. Her father passed away and her mother is in a halfway house and her older brother would rather spend money and do music than help. When the landlord unexpectedly doubles their rent, she’s forced to take up prostitution as a last ditch effort.

The story tells of a tough upbringing and having to become an adult before one is ready. It’s sadly a story told often in low income, poor community. It’s thought provoking and emotional. There’s also sickening aspects of the story, but all-in-all I loved the rawness the story brought us.