More Than A Young Wife & Mom

Still a young wife and mom?

by Tiffany - Wednesday, January 14, 2026

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

by Tiffany - Tuesday, January 06, 2026

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride, audiobook version

Hey y'all! Happy 2026! New year, new books. Here's my first review of the new year thanks to NetGalley.

"Gospel is the Keeper of the Leaving Room—a place all young people must phase through when they die. The young are never ready to leave; they need a moment to remember and a Keeper to help their wispy souls along.

When a random door opens and a Keeper named Melodee arrives, their souls become entangled. Gospel's seriousness melts and Melodee’s fear of connection fades, but still—are Keepers allowed to fall in love? Now they must find a way out of the Leaving Room and be unafraid of their love. In a novel that takes place over four minutes, National Book Award finalist Amber McBride explores connection, memory, and hope in ways that are unforgettable and poignant."

Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrated by Amber McBride, the story really comes to life. I loved that the author narrated her own story and the reader was able to really hear her poetic story as it was meant to be heard.

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story follows Gospel, a Keeper who helps those who've passed on, move to the other side. She's been alone for all that she can remember until she meets another Keeper. There's a very, slow build to an unexpected plot twist. Almost too slow but necessary to the story.

Flow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The book flows well in its poetic style. It's consistent in how each chapter opens and lets the listener know without reciting the chapter number. It's a very slow, but necessary, flow for the first half of the book but then picks up and carries you in a current

Uniqueness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Included with the narration, unique sound effects are added to give an ethereal impression. Usually between chapters along with Melody’s alliteration. Truly a unique experience.

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found this to be a great listen. I believe I received more of an understanding listening to the story and poetic flow directly from the author than if I had only read the ebook, or hardcopy. The plot twist was unexpected. I personally would have liked a different or more explained twist but did tie in to the foreshadowed elements along the way well though. I would recommend especially if you like poetic styles of writing.

Disclosure: Thank you Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own. Links to purchase this book include my affiliate information where I may receive small monetary payment for purchases made via these links. All profits go to support my page.

If you'd like to purchase this in any format, it is available on Amazon here as well as other stores online. }

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"Needy Little Things" Review

by Tiffany - Monday, February 03, 2025

It's been a hot minute since I've reviewed a book. I'm not saying this is anything New Year's Resolution related at all BUT just coincidentally, I've been reading more. I also listened to my FIRST fiction audiobook y'all, and I am hooked!

Needy Little Things, the debut young adult novel by Channelle Desamours is not to be missed! Mystery, suspense, real life topics - it's all here!

In this Young Adult mystery, we meet high school senior, "Sariyah Lee Bryant [who] 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. 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."

Narrated by Alaska Jackson, the characters comes to life, each with a distinct voice and personality. We follow Sariyah's point of view and hear how the she views her friends' voices and mannerisms. Very entertaining and kept me hooked from the first few lines. The writing and narration felt seamless. The pace and flow were on point. The narrator clearly provides chapter breaks for the listener, which were the only times I paused because the story was so addicting.

As a multicultural woman in her 30's from Atlanta, the places, phrases, and mannerisms are very familiar to me. It may be a little harder to follow for older readers and those unfamiliar with Black culture. This is definitely something I will be re-listening to/reading and recommend. I'm even going to buy a print copy for my daughter. Looking forward to reading more from Channelle Desamours in the future (and looking up other books narrated by Alaska Jackson in the meantime).

Needly Little Things (audio and print) comes out tomorrow, February 4, 2025!!
Click here to visit the author's webpage with all retailer links.

About the Author:

"Channelle Desamours lives and writes just outside of Atlanta, Georgia where she currently teaches high school science at a STEM academy. Her students motivate, challenge, and inspire her daily (and they’re always good for a laugh). She spent many years coaching lacrosse and even enjoyed a brief stint at Zoo Atlanta where she taught children about wildlife conservation and handled all sorts of critters from opossums to juvenile American alligators. Channelle has a BA in biology from Agnes Scott College and an MS in biological sciences from Clemson University. Beyond nerding out about life science in front of large groups of teenagers, Channelle enjoys listening to audiobooks, caring for her house plants, and plotting twisty novels with a touch of magic."

Disclaimer: Thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own, as always.