First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"I'm trying to think of how to describe this room in a way that's not only accurate but also does it justice. I like to be deliberate with my words."

~ Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen 

Love in 280 Characters or Less

"I want all my fellow Black girls who have ever been told they're 'too much' to stand up." ~ 76%

How could I not read a book with this cover? It is so vibrant, fun and modern, much like its content. Sydney Ciara is a Black college student navigating academics and love. Starting college is exciting but also nerve-wracking, as she'll have to make new friends and figure out her place on campus now that her best friend Malcolm is miles away at a different university.

Sydney finds solace in blogging and tweeting, where she connects with YoungPrinceX. But there's also a boy on campus named Xavier that she clicks with. Can romance thrive online as much as IRL? And if writing is so therapeutic, can it also be a lucrative career? Something to noodle on...

Clearly I am on a YA reading streak. It is helping me build a list of books to recommend for summer reading. Something light for buddy reads with the teen in your life. Go ahead and add Love in 280 Characters or Less to the list. It is mostly told in an easy-to-read format of blog posts, tweets, emails and texts. Unconventional but the perfect writing style to tell this story of self-discovery and connections in today's world. 

Love in 280 Characters or Less is a love letter to social media and to Black girls who think they won't get chosen. Oh, how I adore this story and its message!

Happy Early Pub Day, Ravynn K. Stringfield! Love in 280 Characters or Less will be available Tuesday, April 15.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Love in 280 Characters or Less
Author: Ravynn K. Stringfield
Published: April 2025
Pages: 177
Edition: Galley
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Needy Little Things

"I fulfill needs until I'm numb to my own." ~ pg. 133

Sariyah is blessed with the unique gift of hearing what people need. It could be menial things like a pencil, hair tie, batteries or chewing gum. As a result, she carries around a Santa Bag of items just to clear her mind and help others. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who disappears shortly after, she questions whether it's a gift or a curse.

Determined not to let another Black girl be lost and forgotten, Sariyah and her best friend Malcolm try to find Deja. Meanwhile, Sariyah balances life at home with a mother experiencing lows and a brother facing complications with sickle cell disease. It's a lot for a teenage girl to handle on her own but Sariyah draws strength and resources.

"That ability has done you, and a bunch of others, a whole lot of good." ~ pg. 17

I am impressed for this to be a debut novel. Channelle Desamours certainly knows how the minds of young adults work being a high school science teacher. She perfectly captured their language and emotions. As the story unfolded, I could see where it was heading and appreciated the skillful way she told this important story with a twist. Oh, she took it there! Needy Little Things is fictional with a touch of magic, but the real life message was heard loud and clear!

I recommend Needy Little Things for young adults, parents of teenagers and educators. It may help us become more intentional, pay more attention to signs and respect the needs of others. The vibrant book cover will look good on your bookshelf too!

Title: Needy Little Things
Author: Channelle Desamours
Published: February 2025
Pages: 306
Edition: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤