ARC (rant) REVIEW | Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter

Title: NEVER-CONTENTED THINGS

Author: SARAH PORTER

Released: 19TH MARCH 2019 by TOR TEEN

Genre: TEENS + YA/DARK FANTASY

Rep: LGBT+, ORPHANS/FOSTER FAMILY, POC, | TWs: FOSTER SIBLING INCEST, ABUSE, DISCUSSION OF RAPE,

Let me just preface this review with I nearly DNF’ed this book. I should have DNF’ed this book. It was terrible. I pretty much hated it and yet I had to finish the story to see how it all ended – in the hopes it would get better. But it didn’t. At all.

Some scenes felt entirely too forced and fake to be believable – even for the world of fantasy. This was meant to be a novel about faeries, but, while set partially in the faerie world, this was more about the foster siblings than anything else. The faeries made several cameos, but didn’t seem essential to the story in the way most faerie stories have faeries that shift the plot along. If you’re looking for a The Cruel Prince-esque story, this is not it. I know because I read that, and having done so cannot fathom why this is being compared to it at all. The story doesn’t even really go into the faeries and why they’re there in the first place. Pretty sure the word isn’t even mentioned throughout.

Now, let’s talk about Josh and Ksenia…wtf! Again I say, what. The. Actual. FUCK?! Foster sibling intended incest? Okay, fair, they’re not actually related, but they ARE being raised as brother and sister. Josh is always whinging about wanting to have sex with Ksenia, but she doesn’t seem into it really. You can tell she loves him, but not past wanting to take care of him. It was really cringy to be entirely honest. As someone who was in the foster care system for a time, I felt really weird about that entire part of the story. And maybe that was the whole point of it, but it definitely wasn’t for me (nor at all what I expected from the synopsis, so maybe it needs to be marketed differently).

Now, there was an overarching discussion of forgiveness, which was kind of interesting. Basically, if someone close to you betrays you, can you forgive them (even if they aren’t trying to redeem themselves)? I think if you care about someone, maybe you owe it to yourself to try to help them overcome the problem, but not at the expense of your mental or physical health. Betrayal is hard to get through and nothing is ever the same on the other side. Sometimes, you really do just have to walk away from the situation in order for all parties to come out healthier on the other side.

The writing itself was probably the only thing that really had me keep reading. It was pretty good and very descriptive, without being flowery or overwhelming. The pace was also decent once you got a fair bit into the story. The first 25% or so was pretty slow, though.

Anyway, this had so much potential, but it really fell short for me.  Unfortunately, just a ONE STAR read for me.

A new YA standalone novel about dark faeries with surefire appeal by Sarah Porter, the critically-acclaimed author of Vassa in the Night and When I Cast Your Shadow. 

Seductive. Cruel. Bored
Be wary of… 

Never-Contented Things
A Novel of Faery

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.

Written based on the content in the manuscript and subject to change upon publication. Thank you so much to Sarah Porter and Tor Teen for the ARC.