Ms. Mottley is a writer to treasure. She is young and writes with the rawness that is needed in this day and age to understand places that we see on TV and hear about on the news. Life isn't pretty, it's real and raw and we must learn about these areas to understand why there are things like crime, gangs, and drugs. It's a book that exposes us to that experience.

I struggle to put this story and my feelings into words, as nothing I write will do it justice. I went into this book with no real expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Nightcrawling is the hauntingly beautiful story of Kiara Johnson, a 17-year-old high school dropout who has lost both her parents, one to the system and one to death. It is just she and her brother Marcus left to try and pick up the pieces of their crumbling life and keep them afloat. That is until Marcus, in their uncle's footsteps, chooses to follow his dream of becoming a rapper.

A series of unfortunate encounters and subsequent decisions lead Kiara into situations that she never wanted nor expected to find herself doing whatever it takes to survive and take care of those she loves. Sadly, sometimes your everything isn’t enough.

Sometimes the bond is more potent with the family we choose, and my heart ached for Kiara and Trevor both. Both, for lack of a better phrase, were victims of their circumstances and forced to rely on each other with the help of Alejandra. Nightcrawling is heartbreaking, with small pockets of joy that warm the heart sprinkled in. It is beautifully written and full of love, risk, tragedy, and sacrifice.

A few lingering questions made me feel that something was missing from the end, and I wanted to know more. That said, I enjoyed taking the journey as the story unfolded, and I am so delighted that I found this book and Lelia Mottley. I hope to read more from this talented author in the future.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Lelia Mottley.

Happy pub day to this gem of a book! This book doesn’t feel like a debut whatsoever and its first chapter was written by Leila Mottley when she was just 16 years old. This story is gut-wrenching and has me feeling all of the things… whether I want to or not.

Kiara is just 17 years old and she is doing everything but being a child. She is “stuck between mother and child” taking on the role of an adult in order to save herself and her brother Marcus, who is (selfishly) focused on other things. This singular need sets her on a surprising path. This young girl is desperate and straight up tired. She speaks of her body “wilting” and being, “closer to my own funeral day than I ever have been.”

The writing is simple, yet complex and has this meandering (in a good way) feel to it. This is not a book you can rush through, so take your time with it.

Inspired by true events, Nightcrawling is a brutal portray of survival and hope, which will make you uncomfortable and it should. I was hugely impressed by Mottley’s maturity writing this debut with hard hitting themes such as sexual exploitation and police corruption. Kiara reminded me of Adunni. She is a character you won’t forget. Mottley beautifully showcased her vulnerability, determination and resilience. Some parts felt unfinished, choppy and experimental which lost me nearer the end. I also had questions about the race of the officers which would have added another layer to the story. Despite this, I still found it a darkly captivating debut by a young talented writer with a great future ahead of her.

Nightcrawling is a gritty, raw and painful honest portray of the upsetting events taken place in Oakland. Recommend for fans of literary fiction who enjoy unique narrative styles. It is more plot driven and lyrical so may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

This was a tough book to read. I had to keep starting and stopping because following Kiara in the actions she has to go through was making my heart hurt. Knowing that this book has a real case story behind it reminded me of Tiffany D. Jackson's book Monday's Not Coming. This book has a lot of triggers and my not be for everybody, Kiara is being sex trafficked by police workers and it just makes you not trust them (more than Black people already don't) and its sad to think there are probably a lot of young Black girls going through this and the world never knows because the news, police, etc do not care about Black women or people. An important read.

Title: Nightcrawling
Author: Leila Mottley
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Knopf
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Nightcrawling" by Leila Mottley

My Assessment:

'Nightcrawling' was a pretty painful, depressing, and raw, heartbreaking read that will leave you upset as the story is delivered. However, this situation did happen in some form or another here in East Oakland, California. Yes, some of the happenings from this book have taken place in our world. This was just another way the justice system failed poor Kiara, who was left to raise herself by getting herself involved in prostitution...but with the abuse of power by OPD and other departments. Everyone around her had abandoned Kia, her mother, brother, uncle, and friend. But with Kia being so vulnerable, lost with no guidance, and young, what would one expect in this situation? While all of this was going on in Kia's life, she was 'taking care of Trevor who lived next door, a child whose own mother was on the verge of being evicted and had disappeared.' Be prepared for many raw emotions coming out all over the place from 'poverty, social problems, loss, violence, injustice, and even suicide.' who had been abused by men physically and emotionally.

At times, I felt like closing the read but decided to continue seeing how it would turn out, which didn't surprise me how the story ended for Kia. And yes, this seventeen-year-old author did an excellent job with this storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Knopf, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded up because something big is happening

Nineteen! <I>NINETEEN!!</i> Author Mottley is all of nineteen, twenty minus one. And she's written this amazing, full-throated roar of defiance in the face of the overwhelming, outrageously powerful white hegemony that controls Oakland and California as a whole. I am revolted that this story flowed as naturally as a river does to the sea out of Leila Mottley, but it did and readers should bear witness with her as Kiara, at a revoltingly early age, learns that men will pay her to use her body for their pleasure.

It's a painful awakening. It's a godsend of money. It's a trap, it's baited with the exact things Kiara needs to walk into the trap, and it's painfully obvious that her world is over. It's a new world entirely, now that she's the one paying the rent.

I will say that, to the sensitive fleurs among us, this story will not go down well. It's honest, it's angry, it takes nothing from you and gives everything to you, and it's a gift so bitter that it makes you wish you hadn't opened it because now you know and can't pretend you don't.
<blockquote>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. Maybe {her frenemy} is right, it's time to let go, to let one of them take over, take care of me. But I can't stop thinking about {the} call, if {her brother} is alright, if maybe he's got enough money to help us out.</blockquote>
In the middle of a dreary afternoon spent doing something horribly hard, watching her mother as she dies, avoiding a gang of teens who could easily have decided she was a target, riding a bus on a hot afternoon and getting into her rent-due apartment...she wonders how she can help her older brother. Because now, next to making the rent, she's got a much, much bigger problem: How to keep that brother alive. Literally not-room-temperature alive.
<blockquote>That {bad moment from childhood}'s sort of what this feels like: the helplessness of it. Like standing on the road that leads to here and noticing a path you didn't know existed and not being able to take it. Like the road that leads to here was never the only road and time made me forget that until these sobbing moments when I remember, when the fog clears and I'm looking back and there's a fork on the ground, another way.</blockquote>
That ought to ring a bell in us all. If you're an adult, you most likely found yourself nodding along and recognizing those emotions. You'll likely recognize the others about regrets and about consequences and about prices you can't pay to avoid. This is that kind of a story, it's that kind of a world that Kiara and her wide found family live in. And those who make it out? They change addresses. They can't really change when so much around doesn't. This life is what you make of it, true, but is your inward being as malleable as all that?

What makes me so happy is that Author Mottley is here, is the one telling the story to my white-person eyes. I'm so happy that someone in publishing saw this manuscript, heard this rage-filled, sorrow-drenched scream of pain and said, "there's a proud, fine writer being born here, let me put the privilege and prestige of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., behind it and make people listen." So, listen: If you're wondering if this isn't more misery porn, or worse, disaster tourism, then I'm going to bring it to you fresh, this ain't that. (My Texas bleeds through when I want to make sure y'all're listening.)

When I was in the agenting business many long years ago, an ancestor of this story came across my desk. I loved it. I loved its vernacular honesty and I loved its visceral reality. I wanted to make people read it...stop them in the halls of our building and say "just this bit right here! you'll love it!" and I was talked out of it. See, I'm white, and male, and even then that meant my privilege wasn't going to sail that beautifully loud sound-cloud out onto the lakes of white-people culture. Publishing might be doing better, but it's still the world where I was told to my face by an editor about a non-fiction book by and about African-Americans (as the polite term was then) I wanted her to buy, "who will buy it? Black people don't read."

Thirty years on I'm still appalled by that memory.

And thus it's extra delightful to me that I'm reading this auspicious debut from a young Black creator with the colophon of a very, very distinguished house that made its cultural capital a century ago by taking just these sorts of chances. (Joseph Hergesheimer won't mean much to most of y'all, but he was quite a noise on the 1917 Knopf list....) I couldn't do it; someone could, though, and that it's taken this long to make the waves it's already making (LitHub loves it, forevermore! That's Establishment imprimatur enough right there!) is, well, for me personally both validating and frustrating. I wish I'd done it; I'm thrilled it's been done.

Don't deny yourself this treat. I can't say I liked <I>Look Homeward, Angel</i> a whole lot, but it was a clarion call, a loud voice in full cry, saying, "there's a new way to do this!" That's what <I>Nightcrawling</i> is, that loud voice. Spend some extra time with her and learn what will make you sad to know.

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!! I was blown away by this incredible debut!

Nightcrawling follows Kiara and her brother Marcus, who are struggling to survive in Oakland. Kiara ends up in an unexpected profession, desperate to pay bills, take care of the young boy next door, and keep their apartment.

I don’t even know where to start with my thoughts on Nightcrawling. It was raw, gritty, and mesmerizing. It’s definitely not an easy read, but it’s important. Kiara is fictional, but events are based on actual cases of sexual exploitation of young girls by police, which disproportionately occurs against BIPOC women. Parts of this book will make you uncomfortable…but that’s the point.

The writing and imagery were vivid and beautiful, and I couldn’t get enough. Once I started reading, I was fully immersed in Kiara’s story.

Nightcrawling comes out today—so grab your copy!!!

Thank you @netgalley and @aaknopf for the #gifted copy!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm not sure where to start with this book. It's about a very difficult subject. It is also based on true events that happened in Oakland in 2015. What made the book more surprising is the author is only 17 years old! Kia is trying to survive in Oakland as a 17, almost 18 year old girl. Her father is dead, her mother is in prison and her brother is trying to make it as a rapper and not succeeding. Kia is trying to support them both while also caring for the young boy next door who has no parental care. Kia is forced to do things in order to support all of them. While this is not a book I would recommend to everyone it is definitely worth a read.

Kiara is only seventeen and already, her life provides her with no options. Going to a prom, hanging out with her friends, and going to college are things that are not within her reach. Her father is dead, her mother is in jail, and her older brother is too busy chasing his dream to see how desperately she needs his help. About to be evicted from their apartment she tries to apply for every possible job. She is either too young or doesn't have experience or even a resume. No one reaches out a helping hand to this young girl. But a chance encounter leads her to believe that prostitution is her answer. It was so incredibly sad that she accepted this choice in the same way that she would have said yes to a job at McDonald's!
As you can imagine, her life does not suddenly become fairytale-like( think Pretty Woman). I think it was the way the author portrayed Kiara that got to me the most. This was it. This was all the world had to offer Kiara. The writing was as beautiful as it was tragic. A hard story to read but one that I couldn't put down. I look forward to what Leila Mottley writes next.BTW, the author will turn twenty this month. So much talent in someone so young. 4.5 stars.

What an incredible debut novel!! Kiara is such a wonderful and dynamic 17 year old who is just trying to earn enough money to pay rent when she finds herself the victim of a sex trafficking ring. You can tell from the start that this novel is written by a Poet Laureate- the prose is gripping and evocative. This is not an easy read but it is beautiful and moving and worth the emotional investment. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This book packs a punch, there’s no doubt that everyone’s journey is different, good or bad!
A well written story, the depth of the character’s emotions are raw and real.
I often consider the equality of one person’s life circumstances versus another and find it hard to justify in my mind. However, life is for living, we all use what we are given and it’s not always going to be ideal, by any means.
A book that will make you think and help you realise how many different choices and struggles are faced by a lot of people!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this amazing book, thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amazing debut novel written by seventeen-year-old Leila Mottley. For me, the story was raw and very difficult to read. Kiara and her brother, Marcus, live in an apartment in Oakland. Their father is dead and her mother is in a half-way house after prison. The rent for the apartment has doubled. life is definitely not easy. Kiara gets involved with a scandal in the Oakland Police Department. It took me awhile to read this short book as I had to put it down several times due to the content. For me, it was deeply disturbing but an important book to read. My thanks to Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Nightcrawling is a precocious and haunting debut novel describing corruption and brutality of Oakland’s police department. Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You ever finish a book and just be like “damn.” And like some more swearing while you’re just sitting there letting it fully sink in?

I read this book in about 5 hours start to finish. The writing is probably some of the best I’ve read, and I read a lot.

It’s absolutely phenomenal.

You forget sometimes while you’re reading that the main character is 17, and all these horrific things happening to her are happening to a child, forced to grow up way too quickly and make decisions that she feels she has no other choice but to make.

The character relationships in this are so well developed, especially Kiara and Trevor. Like I was near tears close to the end.

You feel SO MUCH reading this book, because the writing pulls you into this space and this story. I cannot get over how fantastic the writing is.

Just be aware that this story is heavy. Some content warnings include rape, sexual assault, police brutality, suicide, and addiction. I would recommend looking at the full list on StoryGraph.

Whew, what can I say about this one? There’s nothing necessarily shocking about NIGHTCRAWLING and that’s what, I think, makes it tragic. It doesn’t explicitly state “this is horrible” and it’s in this lack of acknowledgement and in the acceptance Kiara has of her circumstances that made parts of this book make me want to weep for Black girls everywhere. This not a book you can zoom through; it makes you take your time with it. The writing is beautiful and deceptively intricate, and there’s whole gut-wrenching lines and paragraphs that sneak up on you. Leila Mottley is truly an author to look out for, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.

What an impactful, beautifully written story by a woman from Oakland, CA, started when she was just 17. I bow down to you, @leilamottley. I was drawn in immediately, completely captivated, and could not put down this absolute work of art. I really don’t think I have anything to say that can do this book justice so I’m going to start with— just read it. Trust me.

Ok, some more thoughts: In this book Mottley paints such a vivid picture of the circumstances some people face in this country. Why some people can’t even think about going to college or getting a legitimate job because just surviving takes everything they’ve got.

People love to talk about the American Dream, about opportunity. They say in this country that anyone can rise up and succeed if they want it bad enough, if they work hard enough. What those people often leave out is the vast difference in hurdles many of us face. Same have to overcome a few, some dozens, some hundreds— and they’re bigger, with like, spikes on them. But hey, if they want it bad enough, right?! *eyeroll*

Lastly, I have a 4-year-old. We talk a lot about how the bravery it takes to not go with the crowd when what they’re doing is wrong. To stand up, and be the one to go the other way. And if they’re putting people in danger than to call attention to that. While reading this book I kept thinking about how much better the world would be if the people in power, the people hired to keep us ALL safe, remembered this lesson they likely learned when they were four.

I wanted to love this one, but it fell flat for me. Super impressed that the author wrote it at `17, and I cannot imagine what this family went through - it's an important story to tell but I didn't really "feel" anything.

Leila Mottley’s debut novel narrates the harrowing and at times depressing life of main character, Kiara. Kiara is seventeen, living alone with her brother, Marcus. Her mother is in jail and her father has died. An impending eviction notice spurs the teen to desperate measures, including prostitution.

Kiara’s exploitation by members of the Oakland police department and her heartbreaking relationship with Travis is the heart of the plot. Travis is a child living the same apartment complex with a mostly absentee mother. Kiara has taken on a caregiver role to Travis while she herself lacking one.

I thought this novel was dark, sad, yet unfortunately realistic of some similar real-life cases. The author has a bright future.

The reason this is a 4 star for me is I wanted and needed more backstory and depth to the main characters. Some of the side characters needed a bit more backstory as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I was provided a free ARC copy of this book by @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Kiara's life in Oakland has never been easy. But now, it's gotten even harder. With rent on the rise, her older brother chasing dreams instead of a real job, and her young neighbor being abandoned, she feels like she has not options but to do anything she can to make money! So, she does. What starts as an accidental thing, Kiara quickly discovers a way to make money and scrape by. However, she soon realizes that the control she thinks she has is only an illusion that can quickly be taken away.
This is a debut novel by a young author, who was inspired by real events in Oakland. On the one hand, this book was a powerful story that is sadly not fictitious for too many people. There were parts that were heartbreakingly beautiful, poetic, and deep, and many parts that were just heartbreaking.
However, I was only able to give it three stars because I felt it dragged at times, and was maybe overwritten. I felt the writing was trying too often to be sophisticated or cerebral. It was hard at times to get to the point that was being made for all the fluff around it. Not being a fan of that style, it lowered the stars for me. If you are a fan, you may love this book!
It is scheduled to be published 7 June, so keep your eyes out for it soon!
#NetGalley #Nightcrawling