Centred around a young girl who has the strange and inconvenient gift of not only being able to sense what other people need, but is also compelled to give it to them, this is one of the most creative clever, and original young adult stories I have read in a while. And I read a lot of YA!

Sariyah has a form of ESP that makes her intrusively aware when people need anything from chewing gum to pepper spray. And as she is beginning to discover, sometimes people's needs are even more complicated...

When her friend Deja, another young girl of colour disappears after four of them go out to a music festival to celebrate Sariyah's birthday, it is particularly traumatic for her and her best friend Malcolm, whose sister Tessa - also Sariyah's best friend - disappeared five years prior to that, leaving them both devastated.

As the story unfolds, the sickening hypocrisy and widening cracks in the social cohesion of America become all to evident to readers as well as to Sariyah and her friends, all of whom are sensitively portrayed.

Now where is this more evident than when the reaction to Deja's disappearance is compared to the similar taking of another young, but white, girl several months prior to that.

There's a lot packed into this story, but it's well handled. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an intelligent and insightful take on being a young black person means in contemporary America.

Really enjoyed this. It’s got all the elements of a predictable YA mystery but plenty more as well that made it much more interesting and gripping.

Sariya’s friend Deja disappears one night. Just like her friend (and twin sister to her bestie Malcolm) Tessa did 5 years earlier. Determined to make sure Deja isn’t forgotten by both police and public as ‘just another black girl’, Sariya and Malcolm do all they can to make sure Deja’s case is given the profile it deserves. But Sariya wants to do more and starts investigating things for herself, which leads to many twists, turns and unsettling discoveries.

Alongside all this is Sariya’s strange ability to sense the needs of those around her. An ability which factors into this story in a variety of unexpected ways…

With Sariya’s use of social media both in promoting Deja’s case and in trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance, this feels like a current story. Sadly the current issue of missing white teens getting more news time and attention than similar cases with black teens is also realistic. The importance of this is highlighted throughout this story and is a powerful message.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC.

I really enjoyed this book. This is perfect for those who enjoy YA thrillers like a A Good Girls Guide To Murder.

The FMC in this book has the ability to sense a persons ‘need’. That in itself is interesting and then her friend suddenly goes missing. She decides to take things into her own hands.

I absolutely loved the FMC and all the other suspicious characters in this book. They are what had me hooked on this book.

I loved the twist and then cliffhanger at the end. I would recommend this to friends and would be up for reading the next book…

I'm stuck for a final star rating on this one, because, while I did enjoy it towards the end, it very nearly ended up being a DNF... for at least the first twenty percent. I don't think this book was the gripping mystery I was expecting, but it was certainly a sharp social commentary, and a book grounded in culture and tragedy. It just maybe wasn't for me.

The book follows Sariyah, who's a struggling black teenager from Atlanta, and can hear other people's "needs" - a fact that makes her life rather difficult, on top of battling ADHD. I didn't mind Sariyah, though I did find her rather... bland. Her world is shifting upside down, however, by the disappearance of her close friend Deja... just years after the disappearance of her best friend, Tessa. What follows is a slow-paced attempt to find Deja... and the ultimate reveal, which was, I admit, a shock.

I did enjoy the premise of the book, and its overall statement - that certain missing children get much more coverage than the rest, than thousands of missing children are still out there, with no one looking for them.

But... I think the book was trying to do too much. It was trying to be a mystery, but because there was so much noise going on in the background, I felt like there were so many plot points, particularly the Irvine family (who fade from relevance), her brother's sickle cell disease, mother's depression, best friend Malcolm's missing twin sister, crush on Jude (who was quite pointless), financial struggles and occasionally referenced ADHD, that had my head feeling all over the place.

I thought it was a shame, to be honest, because this was a great opportunity for the overarching message of the book to really sing... and it just didn't, to me. The characters felt undeveloped, setting lost, description bland. The fact that Tessa was missing, that she never got the press attention she deserved, was lost amidst the clutter. Each subplot could honestly have been its own book, and didn't have to be shoved into this one.

I was gripped towards the end, but it took me an awfully long time to get to that point. I won't be rushing to read more from Channelle Desamours, but thank you, NetGalley, for this copy!

I was asked to review by NetGalley and what a joy this debut novel was.

Fantastic characterisation, mystery, twists and you as the reader will hear yourself saying did not expect that with a side of tears as well as laughter.
This will live on in your thought long after the reader finishes this book.

Due for publication 13th February 2025.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book is so good and quite unbelievable that it is the author's debut. I'm not usually a fan of YA, but this was an exception. Recommended.

This book is incredible storytelling with a captivating main character and a mystery to keep you guessing. I loved all the twists and especially that ending, a perfect set up to book 2 and I couldn't be more excited.

It considers a lot of different themes like missing youth, death and depression and I would be cautious if you find these triggering but I felt they were very well approached. It is a very suspenseful story with a POC cast that were a joy to read, each with their own interesting secrets to hide. I loved the fantastical element throughout where Sariyah can hear others 'needs', it was really interesting and I look forward to seeing where this story goes in book 2!

Sort of a psychic where she can sense an item what someone needs, I.e lip balm, battery. But what if she accidentally gives someone a murder weapon? Plus her friend goes missing. I love a magic realism read and this was a really good one, a different spin on a psychic ability that I haven’t read before. Has a few unexpected twists and turns and covers some hard hitting real life themes!

This is one for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder if they'd wished it had just a bit more of the paranormal in it! When her friend goes missing, precog Sariyah is determined to find her. I didn't love the ending of this one, but I think it'll be a big hit.

Seventeen year old Sariyah can hear the needs of others in her head - items like bobby pins, pencils, chewing gum, nail files - and spends much of her time fulfilling these needs with her "Santa Bag" full of goodies. Only herself, her family, and her best friend, Malcolm, know about this ability.

Things turn dark for Sariyah when she fulfils a need for a nail file for the local ice-cream shop owner - leading to the owner using it in self-defence when she is later attacked. Later, as they prepare to head to a music festival, she fulfils another need for her other friend Deja. Pepper spray. Worried for her friend, she vows to watch out for her... until she disappears while waiting in the bathroom line, and police find worrying evidence of a violent attack.

For Sariyah and her friends, history is repeating itself in the worst way. Years ago, Malcolm's twin sister Tessa also disappeared and was never found. Over the years, multiple Black girls have also disappeared to little fuss - while similar stories of white girls gain instant recognition - and Sariyah is desperate for Deja not to become another statistic. The story follows Sariyah, Malcolm, and her love interest, Jude, as they try to piece together Deja's whereabouts and solve the mystery of her disappearance, all while Sariyah tries to fulfil needs, handle her mother's depression and her brother's battle with sickle cell disease, and her feelings for Jude.

Ugh. This book, man. THIS BOOK. This book grabbed me by the throat and didn't let me go the whole way through. Sariyah's whole thing is giving people what they need and my God, I needed this book. While it is an intensely gripping and excellent mystery/detective story, it also touches on so many important issues, racial injustice, discrimination, mental health, and how missing people of colour are not cared about as much as missing white people. This frustration is woven into the narrative and the emotions of the characters.

I loved Sariyah as a main character and I loved exploring her complex emotions and how she juggles all the stresses of her life. The supporting cast were also brilliant, standouts including her best friend Malcolm and her little brother Jojo - who is utterly adorable, by the way.

As for the mystery, I had an inkling of one of the twists, but it was still handled so effectively that it swept me along nonetheless. Dark secrets and suspense were abound which I love, and the sensitive handling of all the social issues coupled with a genuinely engaging mystery (and the little supernatural elements) culminated in the the easiest five-star rating I think I've ever given.

I will 100% be buying a copy of this when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Great YA book. Interesting, fast paced and different to what I’ve ever read before. Would definitely recommend

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. It has everything, twists and turns, well-built characters, laughter, tears, and hope. Honestly, it was absolutely fabulous.

I dont envy Sariyah. Her unique ability to constantly hear the needs of others must be so draining. Not even just fulfilling the need but the feeling or being unable to give someone what they need. I'd forever be feeling guilty. She's quite the pillar of strength.

The build-up was slow. Usually, I'm not a fan of such a slow build-up, but in this case, it was actually needed. It gave it that extra bit of angst and tension.

I really enjoy a book that conveys an important message, and this one covers quite a serious topic of race and the inconsistencies in the actions of professionals and civilians when people are missing in regards to race.
The story also covers teen friendships / relationships, complex family dynamics, and mental health. What I really appreciated was how, although these serious topics were covered, they weren't too heavy or in your face.

I can't wait to see what this author brings us next, I know I'll definitely look out for the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy.

One of the best YA books I've read in a really long time. Needy Little Things knows it's voice from the very first page, which is not easy, and sustains it perfectly throughout, The characters are all completely fully realised, and the twists are just shocking enough, I absolutely loved it.

This is a dark, creative and clever story. I loved Needy Little Things, I thought that the idea of Sariyah being bombarded with other peoples needs really interesting and creative. The way in which the media portrays missing Black teens was cleverly woven into the plot, and was pitched perfectly, it made the point several times but not so much that it interrupted the story flow. The guilt that Sariyah felt when fulfilling some peoples needs created an interesting moral dilemma, I kept trying to put myself in her shoes and wondering how I would handle those emotions. The characters are really complex, there is a lot going on - missing twin, sickle cell disease, depression, secrets, death, inequality and a bit of romance! The family and friendship situations are so realistic that you accept Sariyah's ability without question. Hoping that a sequel happens soon because I want to follow Tess's story next.

Having seen this hyped up as an upcoming release I was delighted to be accepted to read this as an e-arc by netgalley.

It hugely critique's the media and how different social divisions such as race, class. education and more can impact how media and the public pay attention, especially in the case of missing people.

Some of our main characters have experienced such losses already so deja disappearing is another hurt they don't need. Originally designed as a social science project to bring attention to the differences observed in media and social attention in these missing people cases, something goes really wrong.

The villain of this story is completely unexpected, and when the plot twist was revealed my jaw honestly dropped. Addressing themes of grief, chronic illness, race and class differences as well as the unconditional love between best friends this is truly a book all need to read.

This story follows Sariyah, a Black teen with the gift of premonitions, as she searches for her missing friend, Deja, in a city where missing Black girls are often overlooked. Alongside its gripping mystery, this book shines a powerful light on the racial disparities in how missing persons cases are handled.

It’s no secret that when Black children go missing, their cases often receive less attention compared to their white counterparts. This reality is woven into the story, adding urgency to Sariyah’s determination to make sure Deja isn’t forgotten. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of amplifying these voices and demanding justice for everyone, regardless of race.

This was an enjoyable and gripping read that kept me guessing with its twists and dodgy characters. While the ending left me with mixed feelings, it did spark a lot of thought about the complexities of addressing systemic issues and making bold statements.

With its compelling story and layered characters tackling real-life challenges like sickle cell, ADHD, and depression, this is more than just a mystery—it’s a story that stays with you.

I was happy to receive an ARC of this book on NetGalley!

This book was a good YA read! I appreciated the believability of the characters in terms of the cultural nuances that were embedded into the writing. This book gave the reader various paces i.e. in some areas in was fast paced and in others slower paced, however, this provided some space for building relationships and getting to know the characters on a deeper level. I believe this would be a good book to utilise within schools as there are some deep central themes that would encourage critical thinking. For example, the theme of discrimination (white privilege/white fragility). This book tackles some real-life issues which are needed to get the conversation rolling.

Incredible debut novel !! Everything a YA thriller should be, with twists and turns which kept me guessing the whole way through. The added unique ability of the FMC only added to the suspense. I cannot wait for what’s to come next from Channelle - easy 5 stars !!

Seventeen-year-old Sariyah (Ri) has the ability to hear people's needs, a gift she's had since childhood. When her best friend Deja mysteriously vanishes before a music festival, Ri uses her gift and social media to investigate and stumbles on some clues making her suspect Deja's stepdad, all while questioning if Deja's disappearance could be linked to the earlier vanishing of Ri's other friend, Tessa. The book touches on important social issues and is a well-written, engaging read.

The book was a brilliant young adult read that tackled important issues such as racism and various real-life challenges. I found it incredibly interesting as it delved deep into these topics, providing valuable insights. Additionally, the unexpected twists and turns throughout the story kept me engaged from start to finish. I want to extend a big thanks to the author and the editorial team for granting me access to this solidly written book.