Well, I finally finished this book after I started it about a month and a half ago. I wanted to DNF it so many times, but I am very obsessive about finishing books, and I also requested a copy of it so I felt obligated to finish it. I requested an advanced copy of this book because the synopsis was giving me The Cruel Prince vibes, and I'm interested in anything that might be close to that. This was not. I personally think the synopsis is very misleading, and if you look at the reviews a lot of people felt the same way. So a lot of people are going to pick up this book and be very, very disappointed, which is unfortunate because if this book is marketed to the right people I think the reviews would be a lot higher.

This book is about two foster siblings, Josh and Ksenia, who was a very unhealthy, obsessive relationship. As it nears time for Ksenia to graduate and move away from Josh, he goes to desperate measures to try to keep them together. There are indeed faeries in this book, but they are not even close to central characters. This book is more of a dark contemporary with magical realism, focusing on the relationships between the central characters more than a fantasy plot. I am personally not a fan of magical realism, so if I had known that I wouldn't have requested this book. I also felt very uncomfortable with Josh and Ksenia's relationship, but I believe that is how you're supposed to feel.

The writing was beautiful and lush, painting a strange world that left you feeling like something was off right from the start. Sarah Porter is obviously a very talented author. I haven't read any of her other books and I might not if they all have elements of magical realism. Overall, this was not the book for me, but I'm sure there is a very specific audience out there who will love it.

Holy crap this was DARK!
The synopsis originally caught my eye as it sounded very similar to Holly Black’s “Folk of Air” series, but trust me when I say the only real similarity is the presence of fae.
Where The Folk of Air has political intrigue and hate-to-love romance, this book has codependency and human nature as central themes. It’s raw, unapologetic, and entirely unique.
I think where it missed the mark was in the marketing - I know a lot of readers went into this book thinking it was a Cruel Prince-esque story and weren’t prepared for what this book really had to offer. I would recommend it for fans of the movie Labyrinth and readers with a greater capacity for complexities.
*I was provided an eGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I typically LOVE Sarah Porter's books. She's witty and her prose are captivating. This novel was no different on the prose. It was beautifully written and often times extremely witty. Unfortunately, that did not keep my attention throughout the book. I take that back - the story was too weird too keep my attention. There was foster incest/violence and craziness abounds. Several times I put down the novel, only to pick it up again and find that I was still not able to continue the book. Perhaps I'm not in a dark enough reading place, maybe the subject matter is just a little too close to home, or maybe it's just too weird.

I feel like I will try this novel again, maybe over the summer - but for my students and my current mindset, this is far too twisted for my taste. I DNF @ 65%.

Yes yes yes fae! A love child of Cruel Prince and ACOTAR, I was so excited to read this and absolutely not let down!!!! You know this is definitely the book that will be all the rage and I was right!

Never-Contented Things was not on my radar to read, especially not after my first Sarah Porter book left me a bit unsatisfied. However, after seeing a review for this book that stated it had some topics that interested me, I decided to request a copy.
I am happy to say that this book provided a better experience overall than my previous read by the author.

Let's start by stating there are some trigger warnings that need to be mentioned: mentions of past rape and sexual abuse of a child, and unhealthy relationships.

While "enjoyed" isn't quite the word I want to use for a novel that is very dark, disturbing, and tackles tough subjects, it was gripping and impacting and made me want to see the story through to the end.
As a therapist, there were so many things that this book got right. The way that trauma is portrayed and how it continues to influence a person's life years after the trauma has occurred was spot on. Both Ksenia and Josh were dealt pretty negative cards, Ksenia even more so. And the foster care portrayal - while it was portrayed rather negatively (which is unfortunate because there are so many positives in the foster care system!), it was accurate to some situations I have seen myself. So you add a history of trauma, foster care, and then having foster parents who don't want you, and poor Ksenia was destined for failure.
Then there was the portrayal of unhealthy relationships, which is another tough topic and one that was well defined in this book. Ksenia and Josh have an extremely unhealthy relationship, to the point where Josh (possibly unknowingly) exploits it - which is where the plot really takes off.
The fact that there are faeries in this book is really just a plot device to metaphorically showcase how unhealthy relationships and trauma can impact you and your decisions. Ksenia latches on to the first person (Josh) that treats her well after having years of being mistreated, and Josh's own past traumas influence him to make rash and impulsive decisions that effect more than himself (without thinking of the consequences for everyone involved).
As a therapist, there was almost no way I could read this without dissecting it. But overall I was impressed by how accurate actions, reactions, and thoughts were given the history of the characters. Obviously I would have to advise against this book if you are someone who is triggered by the aforementioned topics, but otherwise if you want to give your brain a good thinking this might be a good book to do that!

No. Just no. I am not sure who the appropriate audience for this book actually is, but whoever decided this was a children's book needs to re-evaluate some things in their life most likely.

I'm not even sure where to start.

Well, let me start by saying that I made it 58% into the book before I decided I just couldn't keep doing this to myself. Because yes, reading this book was like an act of self inflicted torture.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

There is a LOT of creepy body morphing stuff throughout the book and this is not something I was expecting. It literally made my skin crawl, and not in any kind of good "oh this is so new and creepy and awesome" kind of way. No, simply in a grossed out "I might need to throw up if I read another description about half formed creatures changing shape and running around." These images are just soooo disturbing and as someone who has a sensitivity to body changing stuff like this, I did not appreciate how huge a part of the story this was. This was my biggest problem with the book, personally, although there are several other problems.

The borderline incestuous relationship for one. This was a terribly abusive relationship. I read a review recently that claimed it was not abusive, and I'm trying to wrap my mind around how one could possibly read this book and not view the main relationship as abusive. Josh literally kidnaps Ksenia, taking her away to a different world WITHOUT HER CONSENT, and then refuses to acknowledge that she's unhappy, and refuses to let her leave and gets increasingly mad when she shows she is not happy in any way.

Also, even before they end up in this hell, he refuses to take NO for an answer. How many times has this girl told him SHE DOESN'T LOVE HIM LIKE THAT and that she SEES HIM AS A BROTHER. And he keeps pushing and pushing and pushing. Eventually she semi-gives in because she's already learned in her past that her voice is going to be ignored, and this relationship is no different. So basically, she's a traumatized child who was abused and who is continuing to be re-traumatized and abused on a regular basis.

I'm not really sure what happens next. I stopped reading after some weird party where animals were literally beaten to death (except we shouldn't care because they're smoke animals so they're not real, except the description is PLENTY REAL thank you very much for that image now) and more human duplicates were abused and morphed, and Ksenia was further abused by basically EVERYONE. Then I went online and read some reviews and learned that it doesn't get better.

So I'll go ahead and skip the remaining 42% of this book.

I couldn't get into this one, I tried a lot but every time I start reading it I stopped.I didn't like the writing at all!It could be great book but not for me.

Never-Contented Things is dark, very dark. So if dark and twisted is your kind of thing then I recommend this book to you. The author has a beautiful poetic writing style even when she writes about real problems that most people would prefer to sweep under the rug.

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.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley. I originally selected this book, because the summary reminded me of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. The title was also really intriguing and unique and the cover of the book sparked my interest. I was looking forward to diving back into the world of Fae.

The Fae world that Sarah Porter created does at times remind me of The Cruel Prince, but only because both books play on long-established rules, myths and legends about faeries. Porter has her own twists and spins on the legends, but, overall, is familiar. What interested most in terms of setting, in this book, is not the magical world, but the only Ksenia and Josh come from. It’s a small, fairly unremarkable world, but it and the people in it loom throughout the book and have a strong presence in the plot, which I really enjoyed seeing in a fantasy-based book.

Ksenia and Josh are the main characters of this book, since the plot hinges on them and they change the most through the course of the story. However, it’s hard to really call either of them protagonists. They’re both dysfunction and hard for the average person to relate to. They have a near-incestuous relationship that is difficult to read about, and an enterily unhealthy and co-dependent relationship. Josh, for me, was pretty much impossible to like, but others may feel differently. I did enjoy seeing Ksenia’s story arc and there were other characters to enjoy in the book, outside of these two, but since they are the central characters and I did not like either of them for the majority of the story, it was difficult for me to feel connected to the people in this book.

This book is beautifully written and detailed, but that makes the pacing a bit slow to start. And with this book being much longer than the others I’ve read so far, it was a struggle to get through. I did enjoy the prose, but just as it was hard for me to connect to the dysfunctional main characters, it was also difficult for me to get through more gruesome and dark aspects of this book. I had a similar issue with The Cruel Prince, but this book’s gruesome aspects were much different. While the main characters are teenaged, I’d struggle to suggest this book to most who love the YA genre, unless their big fans of dark, almost horror-like thrillers.

Never-Contented Things is a great book for older teens with a task for the dark and creepy, or adult YA readers who enjoy horror-esque tales based on legends. The book is beautifully written, but I don’t recommend it for those like me with a weak stomach. The characters are flawed and difficult to relate to, but for those who love the plot this most likely wouldn’t be a problem.

A dark and magical fantasy, but I wanted the fantasy and faeries to be featured more. While I did not dislike the book I did not love it either.

I have enjoyed every single book of Sarah's that I have read, and this was no different. It is dark, and magical and thrilling. I loved it. I love it when fairies are exactly the dark creatures that were written a long time ago. The plot twists were thrilling and the story, dialog and world building was just so very just like poetic.  My one thing would be a slow start for me. That is really about it. I found it great that the sibling relationship stayed so, despite not being related(foster siblings for a time). That is just more realistic. The fae world was just so magical. Sarah is a story magician!! I will absolutely reread this!

I received Never Contented Things as an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review:

WOW. I honestly don't know what to say. I don't know if I liked this book or hated it. There were times when both feelings occurred. I was so excited to start this because of the plot and also because Sarah' Porter's "Lost Voices" Trilogy is one of my all time faves. But the first 70-100 pages of this book I wanted to stop reading. It was so different than I expected and the concept of the fae were in so little of the first half of the book. Once we got more into the magical world of the fae I did enjoy it more and couldn't stop reading it. But it was very very intense and dark and often confusing at times. This is like nothing you've ever read before and I think for some that will be awesome! For me it was right down the middle. Can't say too much without spoiling it, but if you are looking for a typical fae court this book is not for you! If you enjoy intensely odd and strange books, this just might be a favorite.

I really really really wanted to love this book. It was dark and gritty and very emotional and the writing was beautiful! But for some reason I just could not connect with the characters or story. This is the first book by Porter that I've ever read and I've heard amazing things about her novels. I think ultimately this was a case of "It's not you its me." The story line is a bit chaotic to follow at times as the characters speak poetically and are wise beyond their years but then go and also go dumb teenage things. The contrast between actions and thought got to me more often then I would like. The way Josh treated Ksenia as well was emotionally abusive and manipulative and I just really disliked him as he brought more and more people over to their "fairy world" which resulted in them being dead in the real world. I got to about half way and found myself skimmy for the rest of the book despite trying to force myself to finish it.

This book follows three different points of view. We have adopted siblings Ksenia and Josh who care very much for each other and would do anything not to be seperated. The whole Josh was enchanted explanation didnt completely work for me since he was already showing some manipulative tendencies before hand. It was just really hard for me to like him even though he was known for being nice to everyone. I cant remember him doing anything nice without an ulterior motive. I did feel bad for Ksenia, but it took me until almost the end of the book to connect with her. I did love Lexi right away and how she didnt abandon her friends despite knowing what was going on wasn't right. I also really enjoyed Ksenia and Lexi character development and wonderful relationship, especially towards the end.

I know the two adopted siblings have been through a lot and need some serious emotional healing so I was willing to overlook their obsession for each other, but then it became very manipulative and toxic which wasnt enjoyable at all. I don't usually mind controversial elements, but I cant stand abusive relationships. Even though the plot was filled with emotional turmoil and some pretty heavy topics I wasnt invested enough for it to completely grip me. I felt like the pace dragged in some places, but maybe thats because it took me a very long time to get invested in the story. I was surprised by all the death and I never really knew what direction the plot was going to go. I did feel like it was a little too convenient that the townsfolk forgot or brushed aside the weird stuff that was happening.

I appreciated the diversity, but sadly the LGBT+ characters were not in a good place for most of the book. We do have Lexi who's black woman and from what I could tell that representation was done well. I loved her family and how much they cared about each other. I enjoyed how sinister and deadly the fae were, but I wish they were more developped. Its never explained how that weird parallel town was created or why we never heard about the fae messing with the townsfolk before now. Those little fragments of the main characters were difficult to wrap my head around, but they eventually grew on me. The writing was alright, but it didnt have that easy flow that I really love. As for the message of letting go and feeling complete on your own, I dont think it was excuted all that well.

I wanted to like this book. I was excited about it because I thought it was about the Fae but I had trouble engaging with it and I felt the adopted siblings incestuous relationship was too freaky for me. Especially because of how childish Josh was and how dependent they were on each other. I won't post my review on my blog or amazon but I might post them on goodreads. I think this book just isn't my cup of tea but others might be into it.

I had expected this novel to be along the lines of Cruel Prince, by Holly Black. I was unfortunately disappointed. There weren't really any Fae to speak of, which is usually an automatic read for me. It was more about the two foster teens (no relation) and their complicated --read: incestuous relationship. It was definitely dark and twisted; which I'm all for but in this instance it really didn't work for me.

I made it about 1/2 through this book and I ended up putting it down. I may try to give it another shot when I am more in the mood for it. I didn't realize when I requested this just how dark this story was going to be. I chalk this one up to being my fault. I thought it was going to be more like Cruel Prince and I just didn't really get those feelings. It comes across a more like a suspense/contemporary. I will try again when I am ready for something a darker.

This is a story about love, and about consent. It's one of those fantasy novels that uses its fantastical elements to emphasize real-world issues and turn them hyper-real, which is one of my favorite things the genre can do. It's an exceedingly disturbing book at times, not only due to the creepy magical imagery but because it explores how sometimes even the people who love you the most can do terrible things to you.

Never-Contented Things is the story of Ksenia and Josh, foster siblings with trauma in their past who love each other more than anything, and also of their best friend Lexi, who Ksenia has never truly let in the way she wants to. Ksenia, the older sibling, knows that Josh has come to love her in a more-than-brotherly way, but their more immediate problem is their impending separation as Ksenia is about to turn eighteen. Before this can happen, however, their entire reality shifts after the introduction of a group of frighteningly beautiful strangers appears one night at the gorge. I really don't want to give much away about the plot; I think this is a book where it's better to let things unfold slowly, because it enhances the disturbing qualities of what in many ways reads like a very dark fairy tale.

It's beautifully written, with a continuous battle between describing the inhuman and unreal things happening and allowing the reader to realize along with the characters that some of what they're seeing is too difficult for a rational mind to perceive. It feels like a dream and a nightmare, and I'd highly recommend it to readers of dark fantasy, dark fairytale retellings, and anyone looking for a story to get lost in.

Josh and Ksenia are foster siblings that are entirely devoted to each other, though Josh has romantic feelings tangled up in that which he hopes can someday come to fruition. They're "those kids" in town, but do have friends in school that don't mind their androgynous flair and Josh's pansexuality. It's hard for others to really get close, even their best friend Lexi, so it's easy for Josh to be seduced by Prince and the other fae that he meets. Getting his wish comes at a dangerous price and one that far too many people have to pay the price for.

Never-Contented Things involves the fae of early legends. They're capricious and vicious, interested in feeding off the emotions and dramatics of humanity. Once that's not interesting any longer, they can grind humans down to their very essence to become the building blocks of Faerie itself. They don't care about human emotion or attachment and latch onto Josh because of the intensity of his feelings for Ksenia, who he calls Kezzer. She is often prickly and emotionally closed off; she's about to age out of the foster care system in days, her foster family don't like how close she is with Josh, and she has a hidden history of trauma in addition to the ones that sent her to the foster care system.

The various attractions and relationships of all the main characters are fuzzy, which feels genuine for teenagers. They feel things so deeply and intensely, so the thought of Ksenia being sent away to a group home strikes terror into Josh. It was a surprise how much Ksenia actually did love Lexi, given the distance between them in the first section of the book, but as the novel goes on, we see very clearly where it came from and the guilt Lexi harbored for trying to ease Josh into the separation triggering the entire mess.

I was surprised a few times along the way with the plot because it draws from the old tales of Faerie and how the deals worked but managed to upend a few of those tropes. Yes, there are ties that each of them has for each other, but they have to realize hard truths about themselves in order to fix the problem. It's honesty as well as love that works to undo things, and there is no easy solution. Mortals don't ever get off easy when there are deals with the fae, and magic always carries a cost. I wish them all well in this world because I grew to love them all as well as Sarah Porter obviously does.

I was really curious to discover this novel. I loved the cover as soon as I saw it, and I must admit that the faes are my big weak point! So I could not wait to immerse myself in the story. However, I must say that I didn’t expect this and finally, by forcing myself to continue reading it to see if things would improve, I preferred to give up.

In fact, it wasn’t necessarily the plot that bothered me, but it was mainly the relationship between Josh and Ksenia. I was really uncomfortable and I found it too unhealthy. Our two characters are brothers and sisters, even if not by blood, and live in foster care. So far no problems, but Josh is obsessed with his sister, he absolutely wants to sleep with her and make her understand that they are made for each other so that she finally gives in. And that, for me, was very complicated. Especially since he is 16 years old, if I am not mistaken, and at some point she tells him that if at 21 he still wants to, they will discuss it again. And now it gets even more complicated.

This novel may be for others, but I was too uncomfortable to continue it.