Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

291 reviews

thissagreads's review against another edition

ALL OF THE TRIGGERS!! I couldn’t finish this book because the pace was slow. The amount of triggering trauma happening to this *child* was overwhelmingly heavy, without reprieve. After the second hour of listening I was hopeful that the main character Kiara- would catch a break. But she didn’t, and the amount of TW was wild. Yes I understood that the author was shining light on very bleak situations that anyone can find themselves in, if given scraps and being abandoned. 

By the 6th hour, there continued to be a lot of “well I just have to do what I have to do” mentality, on top of having to trick/prostitute  while trying to take care of the neighbor’s kid since his mom is just looking for her next fix …. I don’t really understand the appeal, even if the author is a young, award winning poet and started writing this book at 16 years old. Very disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Gun violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Addiction, Abandonment, Child abuse, Rape, Death, and Sexual assault

TRIGGER WARNING!! Kiara’s brother is a shitty rapper who’s not working to pay the bills in the tiny apartment they both share. He won’t step up so Kiara’s been working but still struggling. She’s already asked her brother to help out but he’s whining about wanting to rap and asks for a month to “make it”. She agrees but one night she goes to see her brother’s ex girlfriend (at the bar she works at) and accidentally gets drunk. Then she sees a GROWN MAN who’s into her, and they walk off to -what Kiara thought- was going to be a consensual hook up, but he ends raping her. Then after throwing money at her, Kiara gets the idea to start prostituting herself while her brother gets the month to “release his album”. But unfortunately she gets pulled into the underworld quickly, accepts a gig with cops and then of course everyone takes advantage of her. So Kiara’s life just gets worse. ESPECIALLY after her brother tells her he won’t support her! And on top of that her mom is AWFUL and couldn’t give a damn about her 2 kids struggling to keep the lights on, this monster killed their little sister in the bathtub and refuses to take accountability so she’s been in prison and a Safeway house. This book was just fucking awful and riddled with trauma that I felt was overdone and unnecessary.

mgmsharpe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was really good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Death, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Vomit, Pedophilia, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual content, Rape, Death of parent, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Self harm, Child abuse, Police brutality, and Grief

stoprhymingandimeanit's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Trafficking

sunshine_sophia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this book was heartbreaking, raw, emotional, and infuriating. this book showcases what so many women, particularly women of color and queer women, experience regularly. i was not surprised to find out this this book was based on real events because of the unfortunate reality of sexual exploitation of women and girls of color, especially at the hands of white cops. this is an incredibly timely reading, and i unfortunately think it always will be. 

this book is incredibly moving and emotional. i felt like i was right next to kiara through it all. i felt her emotions, her pain, her hopelessness, her struggle. i felt so deeply connected to and with her. i haven’t felt that deeply connected to a character in a long while. 

this was a beautifully heartbreaking read, one that won’t ever leave my mind or heart. i’m torn between telling everyone i know to read this book and clutching it to my chest and guarding it with my life. (i will do the former because this is a story that deserves to be told but i am protective and don’t want anyone to talk badly about it).

to all the kiara’s, alé’s, trevor’s, camilla’s, and marcus’s: you deserve the world 🤍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Trafficking

Moderate: Police brutality, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Transphobia

whitgilk's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Death, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Child abuse, Rape, Police brutality, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

appletreedownes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Possibly a bit misery-porn?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

mollymdull's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

Moderate: Drug abuse

lilbuthod's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Police brutality

lisettemarie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Murder, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Trafficking

mags_222's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Addiction, Police brutality, Trafficking, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, and Sexual violence