Needy Little Things - by Channelle Desamours (Hardcover)

About the Book

Seventeen-year-old Sariyah, who can sense people's immediate needs, must use her ability to solve her friend's mysterious disappearance while dealing with family challenges and avoiding the same danger that befell her friend.

Book Synopsis

In this debut speculative YA mystery, a Black teen with premonition-like powers must solve her friend's disappearance before she finds herself in the same danger, perfect for fans of Ace of Spades.

Sariyah Lee Bryant 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.

Review Quotes

"Desamours' debut spotlights an emotionally complex hero... An engaging, innovative critique of the systems that protect whiteness and rob Black girls of their innocence." - Kirkus

"An unexpected twist on an important story, Needy Little Things weaves a skillfully crafted tale that grips readers from start to finish. A gem of a novel!" - Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give

"Engrossing and original, with a twist to leave you gobsmacked. Channelle Desamours is an exciting new voice on the thriller scene." - Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of The Legacies and The Counselors

"A propulsive mystery with well-rounded characters, immersive prose, and more than a few tricks up its sleeve. I couldn't put it down." - Ryan Douglass, New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston

"An unputdownable mystery centering a missing Black girl and the relentless search of friends who won't give up on her. Speculative elements expertly weave in intrigue and scathing commentary on who society wants to be found. Needy Little Things is a triumphant debut." - Jessica Lewis, author of Bad Witch Burning

"Desamours debuts with a tense, speculative mystery...twisty...with plenty of surprises, suspects, and red herrings." - Booklist

"Dripping with voice and riddled with twists, Needy Little Things held me captive from the first page to the last. Desamours' debut is a tour-de-force in character, mystery, and heart." - Courtney Gould, award-winning author of The Dead and the Dark

"This genre-crossing mystery/thriller with interlaced fantastical elements results in a page-turner... Unexpected twists are sprinkled throughout, with a bombshell cliffhanger... -Riveting and complex." - School Library Journal

About the Author

Channelle Desamours is a high school science teacher from Atlanta, Georgia who loves writing tales about magical Black girls. When she's not napping to recover from her five a.m. writing sessions, she can be found building tiny homes on The Sims 4 or tending to her house plants. Needy Little Things is her debut novel.