Kiara Johnson, a 17-year-old East Oakland resident, struggles to make ends meet and keep it together for herself and her older brother, Marcus, who is unable to hold down a job.

This is a story of survival. The writing style is extraordinary, feeling Kia's emotions and hearing her voice throughout the book.  The dehumanization of people by the police department and the justice system is horrifying. Nightcrawling deals with deep issues such as poverty, sex work, police brutality, sexual abuse, and racial and gender inequality. 

Leila Mottley is a terrific young author and I admire the way she has written this book. 

TW: sex-work, prostitution, sexual assault, addiction, police brutality, child negligence, suicide attempt, drug use, alcohol use, abuse of power, intimidation, death of a child, human trafficking.