75/100 or 3.50 stars

I liked what the author was doing with the social commentary and the world-building with Ri's skill. I think her power was done well and added a unique take to this YA thriller!
I would have liked a little more of the book to revolve around her power, especially with that ending! That was such a cool way to end the story, and bumped my rating from a 3.0 to a 3.5 star. There were some parts that dragged on a little too long, and so my interest did slow in the later half of the story. I would be intereseted in another story that dives deeper into her power and expand on the world the author created with it.
The synposis and desciption didn't quite live up to what I was expecting and hoping for the story, but I did enjoy this.

Short and Sweet Review

Sariyah has a unique ability to hear the needs of those around her, and the only people who know about her ability are her family and her best friend Malcolm. Sariyah, Malcolm, Deja, and Jude go to a music festival, and Deja ends up going missing. Earlier that day Sariyah fulfilled a need for Deja and now that Deja is missing she’s beginning to wonder if her gift is more of a curse. Deja isn’t the only friend Sariyah and Malcolm have had gone missing a few years ago Malcolm’s sister Tessa went missing and was never found. Sariyah knows time is of the essence and she’s hoping her gift can lead her to Deja.

This book started off great but then as it progressed I started to become annoyed with the characters and by the end I was furious but first I’ll start off with the good. I thought Sariyah’s ability was interesting, she could hear the needs of those around her like if they needed a pencil, a hair tie, maybe a hat, that kind of thing but it did take a toll on her if she wasn’t able to fulfill someones need. There were different things that were brought up that were important like mental health being discussed, sickle cell disease, and unfortunately how when people of color go missing there isn’t a big hurry to find them. That’s about all I liked so let’s get into the bad. When Deja goes missing, Malcolm and Sariyah get into arguments and they have the worst attitudes with each other and it was awful and Sariyah our main character would have this nasty attitude with not only Malcolm but other characters in this book more often than not, obviously having someone close to you go missing is scary but them arguing wasn’t helping. Sariyah has a romantic interest named Jude and she wasn’t great to him either, I felt bad for him that he had to deal with her, she suspected him of being guilty and then she got made at him because his aunt got a job. Later on we see Sariyah’s mom in a depression which means Sariyah has to take care of her younger brother JoJo and she decides to use her gift to make money which ends up attracting people who are dangerous. We also meet some side characters who live in a different town and they’re important but learning about their stories started to muddle things going on. Finally as important as it is to bring awareness to people going missing especially those that are minorities some of the characters went about it the wrong way, and this is where the author lost me because after finding out what happened I was seeing RED, I was ticked. If I was in this book I wouldn’t be protecting anyone and those characters would either get repercussions for their actions or never hear from me again, well they probably wouldn’t hear from me if they weren’t punished. I don’t want to ruin anything so I’ll just say I hated the ending and I feel like it ruined this book.

Overall, I liked the premise, Sariyah being able to tell what people need and trying to make sure Deja wasn’t another statistic, but the ending is something I won’t get over and will be ranting about for a long time and not in a good way. If you want to read this book, I will admit it started out great for me and ended horribly but others could think the ending is genius, so with that said to each their own.

8.5 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2025/01/28/needy-little-things-by-channelle-desamours-review/

A little bit of a slow start and a little bit of cringe-worthy teenage angst spells the beginning of the end for Needy Little Things. Or so I thought. On the surface, this was just another impulse buy (or review request) for a YA clone of any number of semi-original ideas, that turned out to be just the same as any of those preceding them. A niche talent, a minor magic, transforms an average teenage girl into anything but! And yet, the more I read of this, the more it felt… well, not different, exactly—as it’s still that same setup—but more meaningful. As Sariyah struggles to find her lost friend, the story becomes more than just about Deja. Life comes for Sariyah hard, and it’ll take more than her ability to see her through it. Yeah, there’s still awkward teenage angst (and some cringe-worthy romance), but even I found it mostly bearable.

And beneath it, the story—Sariayh's own, if not the mystery unfolding around her—begins to shine through.

If I’m at all honest, I really didn’t relate to any characters in this. Sure, the anxiety and other mental exhaustion Sariyah grapples with over this story (warning for anyone sensitive to that), reminded me a bit of my own life, though the circumstances are entirely different. Our history, setting, culture, personal experiences, gender—I mean, it’s pretty much all different. And, even though I didn’t really relate to ANY of anything in this tale, I still loved it.

I even ran this past one of my best friends before ultimately writing this review. And we (you know, mostly) agreed. The characters were all solid, and mostly human, as the author was not squeamish about squeezing in mental health issues, race-relations, and general anxiety of life into something that probably would’ve sold okay had it included the bare teenage angst and romance instead. And there is even some of that—though never at any annoying level. The book works great as a standalone, or even in setting up a potential sequel, with a true bombshell of an ending. I really can’t recommend this one highly enough, which, since me, is… impressive. Take that as you will.

I requested this book so long ago that I can’t remember what drew me to it in the first place, but when I got the approval this month, I was excited to dive in. The premise certainly interested me– a young girl with special powers gets embroiled in the mystery of her missing friend and uses her powers to aid her in her investigation (along with some other friends and good old-fashioned detective work). I really liked the way the story played out; I was always on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I also thought the topic of depression (through Sariyah’s mother’s character and Sariyah’s reactions) was handled very thoughtfully and impactfully. I won’t ruin it, but I didn’t see the ending coming (and I have some thoughts about a few of the characters’ actions…) If you’re looking for your next YA thriller, look no further and pick this one up when it hits shelves in early February 2025!

*Thank you to NetGalley for exchanging an e-ARC of this book for an unbiased review!

I wanted to read this book because I've been looking for YA mystery books I could use for independent reading.

I really enjoyed both premises of this book: The first one is that Sariyah, a high school student is constantly bombarded by the "needs" of those around her, causing her migraines, ADHD, and terrible grades in school. The second is that Sariyah's friend Deja goes missing from a music festival after Sariyah earlier in the day heard that she would need pepper spray.

Desamours' story would definitely be one I could see my students getting engaged with as it explored both the more fantastical side of Sariyah's story as well as the disparity between how black girls' disappearances are covered by the media compared to white girls'. One of Sariyah's friend's sisters went missing five years before and was never found, so Sariyah has multiple layers to deal with due to Deja's disappearance.

I enjoyed Sariyah's narrative and the various impediments in both Deja's case and Sariyah's life.

Needy Little Things has adept magical realism with its focus on Sariyah's premonition-like abilities. Interwoven into this story is the awareness of the reality of deficits in concern by law enforcement of missing Black girls and women. I feel that the author did a good job of finding the balance between these two forces as she developed the story. The story has twists, action, and is fast-paced, which added to the urgency and need for the mystery of Deja's disappearance being solved. I didn't want to stop reading this story.

Sariyah can sense what other people need - not what they want, but what they need and will make a difference to their life. And if she doesn't give it to them, her magic increasingly nags at her until she does. This unique magical talent alone would be enough to make a fascinating YA fantasy novel, but Desamours layers on top of it thrilling mysteries and danger, excellent character building, the urgent need to save Sariyah's sick brother, and the ever-present struggles of being a Black teenaged girl in 21st century America.

Altogether, it was a well-written, fast-paced, stay-up-all-night-reading kind of novel.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for thie ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This was a really great read. It was attention getting from the beginning to the end. I love YA books and this was a great debut from this author. I cant wait to read more from this author. Now the ending had me wanting to scream but all in all a great book.

Okay, this was so good! The pacing was so well done, it really hooked me from the start. I did figure out the twist, which I don’t do a lot, but I still found it enjoyable.

This is such a fantastic YA thriller, and I will absolutely be reading more from this author in the future.

Well my hat is off to author Channelle Desamours! First time reader here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This one packs a punch! A bit of a slow burn that was ramped up for quite the read. I thought this was deliciously dark and creepy. Well done.
Thank you NetGalley, Channelle Desamours and Pamela Dorman Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Needy Little Things kept me on my toes as I read. I really enjoyed the premise as a speculative reader. I enjoyed Sariyah's power and wish there was an opportunity to explore how this was established in her bloodline; although the disruption in intergenerational knowledge is a realstic impediment of knowing for descendants of enslaved people. Beyond that, I enjoyed the book all the way to the last few chapters where the reveal of the villain somewhat cheapens the novel. While I was taken off guard by the villian reveal, the reveal and the parts after it left more to be desired for me. But, the end of the novel, and possible foreshadowing toward a second book, brought me back in. All in all, I'd rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Needly Little Things had me hooked from the get-go. I loved Sariyah and her ability and compulsion to give people exactly what they need. I also loved how she not only navigated her friendships but also her family life as well

This book is fast-paced, full of twists and turns, and had me in its grips from beginning to end. I will definitely be reading more by this author!

I received an ARC of Needy Little Things from Netgalley. The publication date is February 5, 2025. This book is a YA mystery/thriller. The story focuses on Sariyah and her friend group. Sariyah has the ability to hear other peoples’ needs and this is overwhelming for her especially when she is in crowds. The only way to quiet her mind is to fulfill these needs therefore she carries a huge santa bag of items to give to people on a daily basis. Also, Sariyah’s friend Deja goes missing while her and her friends are at a music festival and Sariyah blames herself for her friend disappearing. The book touches on missing girls and how black missing girls are not given the same attention and media presence as white missing girls. The book has a lot of twist and turns and everyone is a suspect in Deja’s disappearance. I really enjoyed the story and also how it tackled a very difficult subject matter that we deal with in this country.

Sariyah, Malcolm, and Deja are their own little crew. Sariyah has special “powers” that allow her to hear the needs of strangers. So she carries around a bag of trinkets to pass out to strangers. She cannot hear the needs of the ones she loves, unless they’re in distress.

Excited to go to Afro Alt Music Festival, the teens have a night of fun until Deja goes missing. Just like Malcom’s twin went missing 5 years ago. The theme throughout this story is “When white girls go missing vs. when Black girls go missing.”

A lot of the middle of the book was repetitive and the explanation for the Santa Bag worked my nerves. Sometimes reading about the day to day life and activities of the teens felt pointless to the story. We got nervousness from a lot of people who ended up not being important to the story. And the people who were important to the mystery, we didn’t get to see their actions at all and that took away a lot for me.

I was really excited about this one, however, I was a little let down.
You can honestly read the first 20 pages, skip to 75% of the book and not miss a beat in between and the case will be solved for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this ebook/ARC for my honest review.

▪️Missing Teens
▪️Racism
▪️YA Mystery

This book hooked me from page one! I loved Sariyah and her supporting cast, loved the limitations and effects of her powers, loved the vividness of Desamours’ Atlanta and its Black community. Once the plot hit, I was desperate to know what came next, and Desamours’ prose kept the pages turning. The mystery presented was a complex one, with a web of context, complications, and red herrings.

In particular, I really loved Sariyah’s relationships with her mom and little brother, and thought the book’s portrayal of her mother’s depression was heartbreaking, real, and extraordinarily well done.

Beyond the surface, Desamours digs deep into the themes of what happens when a Black girl goes missing. Who reacts and how—and who doesn’t. There’s a reason it’s called Missing White Woman Syndrome. The characters’ grief and anger at this inequity was extremely understandable and the vivid writing meant this grief and anger hit me like a ton of bricks, adopted as my own.

If I had to pick a flaw, it would involve some of the endgame revelations and climax action. While I really vibed with the reveal of certain characters' certain bad idea plan—stupid as hell, sure, but acknowledged as such by Sariyah and the narrative, and <I>boy</I> were they coming from a place—I mostly rolled my eyes at the ultimate bad guy. It’s not that he was completely un-foreshadowed, but he definitely could have used a bit more groundwork. And in a uniquely three-dimensional cast, he stood out as a bit of a caricature. Given how much I loved the rest of the book, the climax definitely didn’t ruin it for me, but a more nuanced and interesting villain would have kept it at a five star rating.

That said, if I’m right about seeing a sequel hook at the end there, I’m already chomping at the bit. <I>Needy Little Things</I> is a terrific debut, and I can’t wait to see what Desamours does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

It's so rare to come across a book that is truly unique and also exceptionally well-done.

Our heroine, Sariyah, can't read people's minds but can hear what they need.

Sometimes, she hears simple things like pencils or hair ties, but other times, she picks up on needs like pepper spray or knives.

Sariyah isn't privy to why each person needs these objects; sometimes, the aftermath can be bloody.

When her best friend, Deja goes missing, Sariyah tries to leverage her ability to get information out of the collection of suspicious characters in their town.

Even though I'm not quite a young adult anymore, I thoroughly enjoyed this YA novel!

Thank you so much #netgalley for this ARC of #needylittlethings

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good speculative fiction/mystery with great meaning behind it to give positive messages to the youth of today. We have a lot of side stories that develop as well throughout the book, and though sometimes this slowed down the pace a little but they ultimately provided more depth to the story, including the ending. The characters were all well developed. Sariyah was very interesting with her supernatural power that aided her in helping to solve the disappearance of her friend along with OCD which is troubling for her, but embraces in the long run.

The main message of the story is a very important topic of today and though I don't usually like social topics or politics (unless it's fantasy politics) in the books that I read it was done very well and shows that no matter the person, everyone is important to find when thought to be missing and the same effort needs to be put into finding one individual as there is another. I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend a read through!

Sariyah, a Black teen with premonition-like powers, carries a purse she calls her "Santa bag," filled with random items that somehow always meet others' needs. Her gift—hearing exactly what people need—seems harmless until a music festival turns her life upside down. When her best friend goes missing, Sariyah is thrown back into a dark memory: her friend Tessa disappeared years ago, too. Fueled by grief and the painful truth that missing Black girls often receive little attention or care, Sariyah embarks on a desperate quest for answers.

I loved this book for how it tackled important issues. It reminded me how Black voices are marginalized and how, if we want change, we must amplify them. Sariyah’s determination to push her friend’s disappearance into the spotlight was inspiring. The title *Needy Little Things* was clever, layered in meaning. On one hand, it reflected Sariyah’s ability to sense and fulfill people’s needs. On the other, it captured the way the kids, especially from the mom's perspectives, can feel overwhelming in their dependence.

The Santa bag was a standout detail for me—it was adorable and relatable. I even started calling my own mom purse a Santa bag! I also really connected with Sariyah’s sensory overwhelm and need to block out the world. As an autistic person, I know that feeling of being bombarded by the “neediness” of others. Earbuds became my lifeline, just as they are for her.

While the pacing fluctuated for me at times, the twists made up for it. I guessed one, but others genuinely surprised me—always a win as a thriller fan. *Needy Little Things* strikes a powerful balance between heart, suspense, and social commentary. If you love books that make you think *and* keep you guessing, this one’s for you.

This book was a joy to read!! I loved the characters and the setting! Sariyah's power is very unique. I found this story engaging. There were twists that I never saw coming. This read can't be missed!!

Thrillers always stress me out. Why tf are you going back to thr place that was shady? Why tf are you putting yourself in bad situations when you should know not to? I do not like being anxious while reading tyvm.

I did like the aspect of her magic and how it affected her life. How her mom had depression and how it affects not only the person who has it, but the people who love them. But it wasn't enough for me to continue.

I was gifted this thru NG. That is my review.