Sariyah is just a teen girl – with a magical ability – trying to get through high school. The ability to predict people’s needs is a lot to deal with. Constantly bombarded with needs that she’s compelled to fulfill, Sariyah carries a bag with endless supplies. One upside is her close friends and family don’t trigger the ability.

When Deja, one of her friends, goes missing at a music festival, Sariyah and her friends immediately start the search and contact the police. Along with Malcolm and Jude, they get Deja’s story trending, hoping Deja doesn’t become another statistic – a black girl missing. The more Sariyah starts digging, something doesn’t add up. Is her ability helping or hurting, and could there be something more sinister at play?

I really liked Sariyah’s character from the start. She has a lot of stress on her shoulders with her ability as well as in her home life. Taking care of her brother Josiah, while her mother struggles with an episode of depression, on top of Deja’s disappearance. There are callbacks to Sariyah’s best friend Tessa going missing and later being found dead that spark this story of prevention, a redo of a sort for Sariyah.

Wrapped up in a YA package, there are some strong themes presented here about the racial injustice in regard to girls missing. The commentary on white girls receiving more press and even different phrasing in articles is a hard fact we live with. I appreciated the varying viewpoints and hope to see a change to this rhetoric in my lifetime. 

While not all dark, the story shines with its characters. Josiah was an entertaining little dude. I found his antics hilarious, like any little brother would do. As the eldest, Sariyah looks out for her brother and tries to make him happy and protect him from the tough times. 

The story takes some twists and turns in the last third of the book. I was anxiously anticipating what would happen and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a totally realistic and accessible story for young adults with a small magical flair. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook copy to review. Narration by Alaska Jackson was very fun and personable, but serious when the story deals with hard topics. I loved her inflections and the exuberance she gave to each character. It made the whole experience very engaging. 

Title: Needy Little Things
Author: Channelle Desamours
Genre: YA Mystery, Magical Realism
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Published: February 4, 2025