,

Leila Mottley

Goodreads Author


Website

Member Since
October 2017


Leila Mottley is the author of the novel NIGHTCRAWLING, an Oprah’s Book Club pick and New York Times best seller. NIGHTCRAWLING was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, and the Hurston/Wright Legacy award. Mottley was the 2018 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate and published her debut poetry collection WOKE UP NO LIGHT in 2024. Mottley’s writing has also been published in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Marie Claire, and more. Her sophomore novel, THE GIRLS WHO GREW BIG, is forthcoming in June 2025.

Average rating: 3.97 · 73,817 ratings · 10,240 reviews · 7 distinct worksSimilar authors
Nightcrawling

3.95 avg rating — 59,633 ratings — published 2022 — 3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Girls Who Grew Big

4.03 avg rating — 13,839 ratings — published 2025 — 15 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Woke Up No Light

4.08 avg rating — 384 ratings4 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
This, That, or the Other Wa...

4.25 avg rating — 8 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
QuIP: An Anthology of Young...

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
Juneteenth Babies

4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2021
Rate this book
Clear rating
Florida Babys: Roman

by
0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
More books by Leila Mottley…

Related News

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...
38 likes · 0 comments
  At the beginning of each calendar month, Goodreads’ crack editorial squad assembles a list of the hottest and most popular new books...
193 likes · 0 comments
The daylight is plentiful. The temperatures are agreeable. The bookstore shelves are packed with new releases. Is there anything better...
867 likes · 0 comments

Leila’s Recent Updates

Leila rated a book it was amazing
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Wandering Stars
by Tommy Orange (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
There There is the most authentic, poignant depiction of Oakland I've ever read. Somehow, Wandering Stars takes that a step further and creates a stunning, sweeping depiction of Oakland, addiction, and belonging that builds on and surpasses Tommy Ora ...more
More of Leila's books…
Quotes by Leila Mottley  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Mama used to tell me that blood is everything, but I think we’re all out here unlearning that sentiment, scraping our knees and asking strangers to patch us back up.”
Leila Mottley, Nightcrawling

“The idea of drowning doesn’t bother me, though, since we’re made of water anyway. It’s kind of like your body overflowing with itself.”
Leila Mottley, Nightcrawling

“art is the way we imprint ourselves onto the world so there is no way to erase us.”
Leila Mottley, Nightcrawling

Polls

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
2025 & 2026 Readi...: Joy's Gems: 200 in 2022 11 194 Jan 16, 2022 06:32PM  
Turn of a Page: Reading the Waves (T10) 251 55 Jul 25, 2022 02:20PM  
21st Century Lite...: C21L - Booker Prize 2022 2 45 Jul 26, 2022 08:44AM  
Play Book Tag: Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley - 2 stars 4 25 Aug 19, 2022 11:59AM  
Audiobooks: This topic has been closed to new comments. August 160 190 Aug 31, 2022 12:28PM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. * Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD 3131 307 Aug 31, 2022 09:00PM  
No comments have been added yet.