"Needy Little Things" Review
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!
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:
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.
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