
Member Reviews

This was SO good! Such great writing and such an interesting story. I can't wait to read more from this author!

While I don't want a sequel there's should be a second book.... I just don't like unsolved mysteries. I also didn't vibe with the main character. And I wonder if I missed something explaining other if there are more special abilities people could have in this town or it's just her family

This was phenomenal. I love books that combine this one secret small power with helping people. And this one doesn't disappoint. Our main character is incredibly complex and wonderful. She has a complex relationship with this power and that is handled so well.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the early e-copy of this book. Initially, I wanted to give this book a 3 .5 out of 5, but I had to think what would 17-year old Jasmine rate this book? 17-year old Jasmine, likely would have given this one 5-stars, so my rating will fall in the middle and I'll settle with 4.25-stars.
This is a YA-speculative fiction novel that follows Sariyah who is able to detect the needs of people. Sariyah has internal conflict with whether this ability is a gift or curse. In the midst of that her friend Deja disappears on a night out. As a result, Sariyah and her friends feverishly search for her.
I read this book quickly. I found myself zooming through this book and thinking about it when I put it down. I had to know where Deja was! I enjoyed Sariyah a lot. She was very mature for her age. She was dealing with a lot as a teenager internally and externally. As a reader, I could certainly sympathize with her. I loved the relationships that she had with her friends and how she took on a motherly role for her little brother.
The end of this book was a little hectic. I don't want to say too much to spoil the ending, but there was a red herring that was a little unnecessary. Other than that this book was good, it kept my attention. It has an important social message that is suitable for it's YA audience.
This one has my stamp of approval!

If I’m ever forced to pick only one genre to read it would be Young Adult. AND if I’m ever asked about a perfect book this right here is as close as it gets. The amazing way this was written, I almost have no words gosh, the mystery and the superpowers had me on a chokehold. I have never read a book technically in one sitting until I read this. Sariyah is one of those characters I’ll think about forever. Kudos to the author for the spot on dialogues between these young characters!!

First book by this author but I will for sure read more by her in the future. Loved the pacing of this story and the characters were really interesting.

Really enjoyed Needy Little Things. I feel like this is a cool take on "psychic" powers. The characters are done very well, and I can't wait for the next book to come out. At least with the way that ended, I really hope there's another one coming out.

Needy Little Things offers a great commentary about the startling differences taken in the investigation of missing girls based on their race. With some supernatural elements thrown into the mix, Needy Little Things will be sure to keep you on your toes.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for a copy of this book. This was a great thriller that I could not put down. I think it will be a hit in the genre and can't wait to hear what everyone thinks about it! Can't wait to read more by this author!

3.5-4 stars
Sariyah has this special power in trying to figure out what people need but doesn’t know why. She and her friends are at a concert when one goes missing. She cannot figure out what she needs to find her and wil they be able to? Does this connect to a friends missing sister?

This was a fun quick read with a twisty plot and a great message. This book reminded me that I very much can still enjoy YA books. Sariyah herself and her power were so well written. The way the seemingly random needs intertwined and related to each other was a treat. This book was just very smartly written, so it's insane that this is only a debut. My only complaint is with Malcom, I was ready to fight him every time he showed up on page.

Thanks for the ARC! Needy Little Things is a standout debut—fresh, tense, and full of heart. Sariyah’s voice is powerful, and her unique ability adds a compelling twist to a deeply personal, high-stakes mystery. The story explores systemic neglect, community, and survival with honesty and urgency. It’s layered, relevant, and hard to put down. A gripping blend of speculative power and real-world truth.

Little bit of a late review but I want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing and St. Martin’s Press for giving me an ARC to Needy Little Things! This was a beautiful debut from Channelle Desamours that tackled some pretty heavy topics in a tactful and perfect way. I cannot wait to read more from this author and I certainly cannot wait to see if Sariyah’s story will continue!!

I didn’t know what to really expect from this book, but it ended up really sucking me in. The main character, Sariyah can hear people’s needs, and I feel like the author does a really good of balancing the apparent pros and cons of this ability. This really comes into play when her best friend Deja disappears, bringing forth this continued thought line of how missing Black girls are treated differently. This ended up being a really interesting read that didn’t go where I expected it to, and I’d definitely like to read more from the author in the future!

4.5 stars. Based on an idea that the author garnered from an episode of The Twilight Zone, Needy Little Things is an absolute ride of a read. This book has an awesome premise. Girl can sense what a person needs before that person even knows it...and usually it's something totally weird. Incredibly interesting and my hopes for a stellar execution were highly met.
It may be YA, but it hit seriously hard. The pace was quick and the tension snapped tight from beginning to end. Things just kept me guessing and there were zero moments of slog.
Sariyah is a fantastic character with a lot of fleshing out details. She is complicated and weighs her gift with the optimistic AND pessimistic qualities with logic appropriate to a teenager.
The plot is complex and tackles quite a few social issues in a unique way. I may not have always agreed with the character actions, but Desamours writes them in such a way that you can understand their motivations and intents. There is a lot of emotion crafted into the pages.
The ending was action packed and had me holding my breath as things unraveled. I did figure out a thing or two along the way, but did not quite see what was coming. It was intense. Though there weren't really any loose ends, the ending was written in a way that left things open for the possibility of a sequel. I am hoping that Channelle Desamours writes one because this premise continues to excite me and her plotting/writing (especially considering that this is a DEBUT novel) is fantastic.

Unfortunately this did not end up being for me - I loved the premise and the overarching messaging of the book, but the read itself was a little tough for me. I felt like the romantic interest came out of nowhere and was looped in to the know very quickly and almost randomly. I don't think there were any issues with the writing itself, but I personally did not find the story to hold my attention.

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC. Honestly I picked this title based purely on the Title and Cover, and went in absolutely blind, and I couldn't have been more happy that I did.
This is the book that got me out of my reading slump. I binged it in literally a day, and it makes me so sad that it took me so long to dive in.
Sariyah is clairvoyant, even though you won't catch her calling it that. But she doesn't hear people's thoughts, she hears their needs. Clothes pins, socks, hair brush, nail file. Things that seem wholly random, until the user suddenly finds it useful.
What Sariyah doesn't expect is to hear the need of one of her close friends: pepper spray. Having lost one of her closest friends and twin to her best friend, she is instantly on the defense, even more so after a man passes away due to a tragic accident that she blames herself for.
This book is twist and turns and kept me filled with dread and anxiety, unwilling to trust anyone and with twists and turns that I truly didn't see coming. Several times I found myself suspicious, only to laugh at myself for falling for the obvious bait and switch. IT didn't make it any less fun to take the journey.
Also, don't even get me started on that epilogue. I sat in my car after pulling into my driveway because I only had it remaining, and I sat there dumbfounded, goosebumps on my arms and jaw dropped for about 3 minutes before pulling myself together to go inside.
But, if we are going to talk about what I loved most about this book, is its unwavering attack on the way media handles missing woman in this country. White woman receive an staggering higher percentage of media attention compared to that of minorities, and this book takes that idea. What would happen if this world gave just as much attention to minorities. "Missing White Woman Syndrome" they have called it. And I'm not saying these woman don't deserve the support of the media, I just appreciated the book calling attention to the disproportion of funds dedicated to finding these bipoc woman, and how they are much more often dismissed as run aways.
That said, the book was an amazing paranormal thriller and I will be shoving it into the hands of all of my friends this summer for a quick, easy and fun read. Should be a must read in schools in my honest opinion and will be suggesting it to my teacher friends as well.

I'm so glad I read this book! Definitely a case of right book right time. Thank you to St. Martin's Publishing and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this.
The writing had me hooked, the characters were compelling, and the themes were complex. If you like a mystery with a focus on social justice, I think you'll like NEEDY LITTLE THINGS too!
I loved the friendship between Sariyah and Malcolm. The way things ended was a bit far fetched, but I was here for it. And that last sentence 👀 I'm dying to read book 2!
I could see fans of ACE OF SPADES or A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER enjoying NEEDY LITTLE THINGS.

Needy Little Things packs in so much—family, friendship, mystery, a missing teen, racial inequality, mental health, chronic illness, and Sariyah’s unique ability to hear people’s needs—and somehow, it all just works. Nothing feels rushed or unfinished, and it never feels like too much. I really connected with Sariyah. Even the side characters had depth and their own stories, which is impressive, especially in a first-person narrative.
The central mystery is engaging, but the subplots never fade into the background. Everything ties in and serves a purpose. Looking forward to what Desamours does next.

Such a thought provoking concept. This was well written with wonderful character development. I felt so bad for our main character in everything that she had to endure with her gift and then to be let down by those closest to her.