Title: Never-Contented Things
Author: Sarah Porter
Genre: Fantasy/YA
Series: none – standalone
Edition: ARC from NetGalley
Release Date: March 19, 2019
Blurb: Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries ― until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.
First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies’ otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price ― and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.
Review: First off, I have to say – I love a good faerie story. Not like a fairy tale or children’s story (although I do like those too), but a real, dark, gritty story about the realm of the faerie and how twisted they can be. I was already expecting to like this book. Part of it reminded me of Tithe by Holly Black, and I think fans of that book would enjoy this one as well.
Plus look at how gruesomely beautiful that cover is!
The best part of Porter’s storytelling is how well she juggles the different voices of these characters. There are three point-of-view characters: Ksenia, Josh, and their friend Lexi, who is trying to help save them. Each time the point-of-view changes, the writing is decidedly different. Lexi is more practical, Josh is more irrational under the faerie’s spell, Ksenia is more conflicted. It was very well done and very well written.
I also like that this is a bit different. Ksenia and Josh get taken to the faerie realm, but in a different way than what I had seen before. Instead of crossing over a barrier and going to a different place, the fae world looks exactly the same, just . . . off. Different. Odd. It is a really creepy way to distort reality in this way, which is perfect for dealing with fae creatures. Porter has a very good way of describing things that is very poetic and beautiful, but also very unnerving. It all just works so well!
Speaking of, let’s talk about the fae. We don’t actually see them much, only a few brief times in the whole first half of the book, but their absence actually makes them a bit scarier. We know they are in charge of this strange new world, but we can’t see them. They are just there, watching. The other creatures that we see are fae creatures that are also . . . sort of part of Ksenia and Josh? Pieces of them that break away? Not to give anything away too much, but Ksenia especially has to face her own inner demons almost as much as she has to deal with the fae holding her captive, and the combining of those two things made the story even more compelling.
This isn’t for everyone, but if you like a creepy story about the fae and how they like to play with their chosen “pets,” you would probably really enjoy this.
GoodReads rating: 4 stars
Categories: Books I've Read
Life With No Plot 
great review! I haven’t really seen this book around but I love how dark that cover is! I’m glad you liked it! I definitely have to check it out!
I hadn’t seen it either, except on NetGalley. If you like a dark and twisted story, it’s pretty good. Like I said, it’s probably not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. 🙂
I don’t really read dark books like that but I’ve really been in the mood for something different lately so I might have to give this one a try!
Creepy story about the fae – sounds like something I should read.
It was really good. If you like your fae stories dark and creepy, you would enjoy this.
See, if you like those dark, gritty fae stories, you really need to read the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. I LOVED them, and there’s none of that “all faeries are good and light and sunshine and flowers” crap. The fae in that book are incredible bastards, for the most part.
I remember you talking about those on the podcast. They’re on the list, but that list is so damn long!