This review post is all about the “Needy Little Things” book by Channelle Desamours.
CATEGORIES: BOOK BLOG POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, YA MYSTERY
ABOUT THE BOOK
title: NEEDY LITTLE THINGS
AUTHOR: channelle desamours
GENRES: THRILLER, SUSPENSE, young adult, paranormal fiction
PUBLISHER: MACMILLAN AUDIO
PUBLISHING DATE: 2/4/2025
FORMAT: audiobook
length: 8 HRS, 6MIN
NARRATOR: alaska jackson
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this review post is all about "needy little things" by channelle desamours
goodreads: needy little things book summary
In this debut speculative YA mystery, a Black teen with premonition-like powers must solve her friend’s disappearance before she finds herself in the same danger.
Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear what people need—tangible things, like a pencil, a hair tie, a phone charger—an ability only her family and her best friend, Malcolm, know the truth about. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who vanishes shortly after, Sariyah is left wondering if her ability is more curse than gift. This isn’t the first time one of her friends has landed on the missing persons list, and she’s determined not to let her become yet another forgotten Black girl.
Not trusting the police and media to do enough on their own, Sariyah and her friends work together to figure out what led to Deja’s disappearance. But when Sariyah’s mother loses her job and her little brother faces complications with his sickle cell disease, managing her time, money, and emotions seems impossible. Desperate, Sariyah decides to hustle her need-sensing ability for cash—a choice that may not only lead her to Deja, but put her in the same danger Deja found herself in.
"needy little things" BOOK REVIEW
What makes this book shine is Desamours’ masterful character work. You don’t just read about Sariyah—you become her. Her compulsive need to help others while neglecting herself feels painfully real, serving as both her greatest strength and her ultimate weakness.
The author captures the exhausting reality of being everyone’s solution while having no one to solve your own problems. The pacing might test impatient readers. This isn’t a breakneck thriller; it’s a slow-burning mystery that takes its time to simmer.
Perhaps most importantly, the novel tackles the disturbing disparity in media coverage between missing white girls and girls of color, especially those from lower-income families.
Desamours doesn’t just tell a supernatural story—she holds up a mirror to our society’s selective empathy. Fair warning: the ending might leave you feeling conflicted, maybe even frustrated. You’ll have to read to find out why.
Perfect for readers who prefer their YA with a side of social commentary and don’t mind trading rapid-fire action for deep character development. Just don’t expect to walk away unscathed—or unchanged.
Thanks for reading this book review of “Needy Little Things” by Channelle Desamours.
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By the way this book review is a lot shorter than the reviews I usually do. Since I’m still figuring out this blogging game, I will be experimenting with length and format. Feel free to let me know in the comments if you’d prefer shorter reviews. Also let me know if there’s anything else you’d like me to include or review. I’m all ears!
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