Thank You NetGalley for the arc. Needy Little Things was an enjoyable YA Thriller. I enjoyed the friend group of the main characters.
The book was very slow to start bur the 2nd half was at a better pace.
Not bad overall

Fantastic read beginning to end. Very emotional. The writing is great! I cried several times. Fear, sadness, happiness, anger. It’s eye-opening and a reality check of the racial disparities in our country about who gets national attention when it comes to missing people.. Great character development, great plot, I did have to take breaks from reading because of the different situations that had me on an emotional roller coaster but I loved that! It’s nice to glimpse the life of teen and see they go through things and should be able to speaks to their truths without not be judged. 5 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Great read for teens and adults.

Desamours's NEEDY LITTLE THINGS is such a wonderful speculative thriller—the plot is nonstop, the characters dynamic and deeply sympathetic, and the message relevant and timely. A debut to watch!

In this gripping YA mystery, Sariyah has the power to sense what people need, but when her friend Deja goes missing after she helps her, Sariyah starts to question if her gift is more of a curse. Determined to find Deja and not let her be another forgotten Black girl, Sariyah teams up with friends to solve the mystery, even if it means putting herself in danger. Needy Little Things is a powerful story full of twists, emotions, and unforgettable characters.

Cover is to die for , i connected to the characters and fell for them. the evolution of the story was great and I'd read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this ARC! *Needy Little Things* by Channeled Desamours is a captivating exploration of human desire and the complexities of relationships. The narrative is deeply introspective, offering a raw and unfiltered look at the vulnerabilities that drive people to seek comfort in the wrong places. Desamours’ writing is both lyrical and poignant, capturing the emotional turmoil of the characters with authenticity. The story’s intensity is balanced with moments of quiet reflection, making it a thought-provoking read. Overall, *Needy Little Things* is a powerful, evocative novel that lingers in the mind long after the last page is turned.

Needy little things is about a girl who has the power to sense people’s needs. Gum, pepper spray, you name it. When her friend disappears, it’s a race against time to solve the mystery before she finds herself in danger.

First of all: thank you for letting me read this book NetGalley. It was “wow, omg, what?, ohhhh, OMG”

The message in this book was so impactful and a bit sad because sometimes it’s our reality but it was a really good book with amazing suspense and characters. I laughed and I might’ve teared up so this book deserves all the stars from me.

More on Goodreads.

In Channelle Desamours’ YA thriller, Needy Little Things, Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear people’s needs and feels compelled to fulfill them. However, two recent fulfillments lead to unexpected events, including someone getting stabbed and her best friend going missing. This is particularly concerning as it is the second friend she has lost in five years.

One major theme is media bias and the disparity in reporting and sharing information about missing persons of color. The story also explores mental illness and how Sariyah, burdened by her need to satisfy others, struggles to understand what she wants and how to care for herself.

I enjoyed the book overall, though my only criticism is that the subplot involving Deja’s mother wasn’t developed enough to be truly significant. The story featured believable teenage characters with nuanced personalities—none were perfect. The twists kept me engaged, and even though I anticipated some plot developments, Desamours concluded with another twist, leaving me hopeful for answers in a potential sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesdays Books for an advanced reader copy.

#NeedyLittleThings #NetGalley

Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours is a truly incredible read. This story has a little bit of everything, but it is written in a way that big impacts are felt. The abilities, the mystery, the injustice, and the romance all work beautifully together to create a powerful story.

*Needy Little Things* by Channelle Desamours is a captivating YA thriller with a unique premise and engaging storytelling. The protagonist, Sariyah Lee Bryant, a Black teen with the ability to sense people's needs, is thrust into a suspenseful quest when her friend Deja goes missing. This ability, initially a gift and a curse, becomes central to uncovering the truth behind Deja's disappearance.

The book starts off a bit slow, but the suspense and unexpected twists in the latter half transform it into an unputdownable page-turner. Desamours weaves in social commentary on racial injustice and the media's neglect of missing Black girls, adding depth to Sariyah’s journey.

The story's climax is intense and satisfying, with the plot’s various elements coming together effectively. Though some side characters and plot points felt underdeveloped, Sariyah’s journey and the book’s heartfelt storytelling make it a standout read.

A solid 4-star recommendation for fans of mystery, suspense, and compelling YA narratives. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars Thank You NetGalley for the arc. Needy Little Things was an enjoyable YA Thriller. I enjoyed the friend group of the main characters. I also like the Sickle Cell Disease representation and how it was more than a mention on the page. It took some time to flesh out the main plot and even though I figured out the twist, it was still a good book.

The beginning of this book was very slow but once you get to the second half, it becomes fast paced. I thought this book was well rounded and had a great twist. The main character has a very interesting ability that found to be original and unique from other books I have read.

Book:
NEEDY LITTLE THINGS by Channelle Desamours
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc (Feb 4, 2025)

Review:
4⭐
NEEDY LITTLE THINGS follow Sariyah, who is able to sense what people need. After sensing something her friend needs, she's worried. When her friend disappears, she does everything she can to bring her friend home.
I was super intrigued by the premise of this story: a girl who can sense what people need. That was very unique, and I loved how the author wove that with the missing person aspect to really round this story out.
NEEDY LITTLE THINGS started slow, but the pace really picked up in the second half. When I tell you that I binged the second half of the book in a few hours---everything started happening, the craziness picked up, and then the big reveal. I did call it, but I was hoping I'd be wrong because that was so twisted. And that ending. I'm gonna need a sequel or something to clear that up.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s press for the ARC! Pub date Feb 04 2025

This debut novel was definitely refreshing and interesting to read. Sariyah’s ability to basically know what people’s needs are- be it a pen, socks… pepper spray, door locks… etc. is obviously a heavy load for a teenage girl to carry. I was definitely hooked right away, and had no idea where the plot would take me. I also appreciated the real discussions around missing Black girls and the lack of news coverage and care when sharing their stories. The writing was phenomenal and when the puzzle pieces came together, I was swiping through the pages real quick 🏃🏽‍♀️ But I had mixed feelings about the reasons behind the final plot twist. And I’m sad about it!!! However, I still enjoyed the ending & would still recommend this book to any YA mystery lover. Fans of Tiffany D. Jackson (like me) would like this book! 4/5

Other thoughts:
-the twists and turns kept me on my toes in the second half!!! Be prepared for a semi slow burn in the first half though.
-I half liked the final plot twist, half thought there could’ve been more. The character’s motivation behind it just felt confusing but it wasn’t terrible… what happened before than had me sat though!!!!
-I would definitely read another book by this author. The writing was so dope. Covered interesting yet important topics. Dialogue flowed well. Characters had depth. Yes yes yes.

This was a great read. It had a little of everything I love in a book — mystery, supernatural abilities, a sprinkle of romance, angst.

I really enjoyed the plot twist at the end and it was wrapped up nicely. It was a very fast paced, interesting story and had me hooked from the first page!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Sariyah has a psychic-like ability to sense the things people around her need before they even know they need them – things like gum, a toothpick, a nail file. But when her friend Deja disappears shortly after Sariyah fulfills one of her needs, Sariyah can’t help but wonder if her gift does more harm than good.

This book was a captivating, fast-paced YA thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. Channelle Desamours is a master of tension and suspense, and there were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

On top of this read being a great thriller, it also heavily discussed social issues. Specifically, Needy Little Things reminds readers of the way that missing Black girls rarely get the same amount of media attention and public concern as missing white girls do – and it also asks the question of why.

I loved so much about this novel. The characters were well developed, the dialogue flowed very well, and the writing was easy to read. My biggest complaint is that there were a lot of different topics discussed within the 320 pages of this book, from mental health to physical health to racial injustice to friendship issues. I think with just a few more chapters, all of these topics could’ve been explored just a little bit more. But with that said, I think this is really good and I will be recommending it to other readers!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted to Goodreads 7/23/24

Star rating will be posted to Instagram for my monthly reading wrap up around the beginning of August, and a full review will be posted on Instagram on the release date of this book.

"Needy Little Things" hits on the important theme of the way missing black girls and women can be forgotten and disregarded. Although the subject matter is dark, the tone is lively and the characters are well-drawn and will connect with readers. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I can appreciate the message the author wanted to deliver here, but I think the plot was a bit lost along the way. There were so many, maybe too many, paths the author was trying to walk this one character down. I think all of these paths distract from where the character was meant to be. At times, I felt this story was too childish. I get the main characters are teenagers but that has to be shown in a way that it won’t deter the reading experience. The constant arguments that were happening in this story didn’t really help to move the plot along. The big reveal felt like an after thought too. Without trying to spoil anything, I don’t know why a ring was determined to be the end game here.

This book contains multitudes.
Sariyah has a really interesting gift. She can sense people's needs. Often they are small things that the recipient doesn't yet know they'll need. For example, she might give them a safety pin and then they lose a button later. But these needs invade her mind, making it difficult to concentrate and causing her problems.
When one of her friends goes missing, Sariyah tries to use her gift to help find her.
This book looks at many of society's problems, but mostly focuses on how missing persons cases are treated differently depending on demographics.
There are a lot of great characters and it explores some morally gray areas.
I enjoyed this mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Publishing for an early copy for review.

I received an arc of this book and am leaving an honest review. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I didn’t want to put it down….and didn’t. My black girl heart was jumping around because I related to this book! I enjoyed the banter and the thriller elements. Now the author had me thinking I knew the outcome of the book only for her to be like nah that’s not it, try again. I did call what was going to happen but I damn sure didn’t call who was doing the happening 😂 and let’s not talk about the absolute audacity of the ending of this book! I scrolled to the next page and it was the acknowledgments and I was like oh no no no. I need you to go on and write what hopefully will be a sequel or give me a novella, but you can’t leave me hanging like that!! I hands down recommend everybody read this fantastic book. And I didn’t give details because I recommend going into this book blind, but to give you a taste….what does a nail file, ring, pepper spray, and door lock have in common? Read this and find out!