One.Two.Three.Four.Five.

THIS BOOK. Ok, I stayed up later than intended last night to finish this.... which was a surprise to me since I struggled a bit through the first half. Even *almost* DNF'd it because it's so character driven and I was a bit tired of being in Farrah's head. BUT then it started to get REALLY interesting and I'm so very happy I stuck with it.

I would definitely recommend going into this without reading the synopsis as I feel it gives away a bit too much. And I only know this because I went back to read it to see if I was missing something from this read. I absolutely love what Morrow did with this story. Racism, classism and CONTROL. I honestly couldn't figure out why this was labeled horror but then I GOT IT. All the subtle clues .. brilliant! I kind of had an idea that what I thought wasn't what it was and then got a glimmer of what I thought it could be but was definitely surprised by exactly WHY it was the way it was and this made this book for me 100%.

Farrah is manipulative and in need of control at all time. Constantly overthinking and pays attention to every single little detail. (Not gonna lie, I do this a lot too and it's NOT good for the brain!) Cherish is no better.. but she can't really even help herself. Adopted by White parents and "White girl spoiled" (as Farrah calls her), she's protected from all the things she probably should be learning about for when she actually has to get out into the real world. How this all comes together is what makes the book so delicious and I loved seeing it,

There is one scene in this book that will stick with me forever but you'll have to read this book to figure out which one it could be. 😉

Cherish and Farrah are best friends and the only black girls in their county club community.. When Farrah’s parents have their house go into foreclosure, Cherish Whitman’s adoptive white parents welcome Farrah into their home with open arms. Only the longer Farrah stays, the more it becomes apparent that something is wrong in the Whitman house.

This book was slow at the begin, and I wasn’t sure where things were going. I almost stopped reading, but I am
so happy I continued. I didn’t necessarily find any of the characters likeable, but I did think they were interesting. Once you get to about the 50% mark, the pace of the book really picks up and the book gets dark. This is my first social horror book, but it won’t me my last.

I received a copy of Cherish Farrah from NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. Wow. For much of this book I was muttering a whole lot of WTF to myself and also in awe of how Marrow braids in current social commentary with a reference from the past that makes this book the most shattering of believable horror. While I will not give away the ending or too many details, what I will say this. What first appears as best friends who may appear to be obsessive to the point where Farrah convinced her recently uprooted parents (via foreclosure, out of state jobs) to let her stay living with her best friend Cherish. They share everything and have a competitive borderline love hate relationship sometimes. This borderline Euphoria level of intensity also has twists matching levels of Get Out and all other Jordan Peele storylines.

BUT — what I appreciate the most is that this sickening level of horror highlights how often we put on the pedestal things like grit, resilience etc. (🤮) How
as a white collective there is a continuing performative nature to publicly support Black Lives Matter — but only when it still keeps power and equity in the same hands. Many people need to read and sit uncomfortably with that.


I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!!

I have never read anything by author Bethany Morrow before and this book seemed intriguing. The premise is that a teenage girl named Farrah is obsessed with her best friend Cherish, but not in the way you would think. Farrah and Cherish are the only two black girls at their private school and Cherish is the adopted daughter of a white couple. Cherish is what Farrah calls "White Girl Spoiled". Farrah's family stability is crumbling and she desperately wants what Cherish has. Farrah is manipulative and cunning and will do what she needs to in order for her life to be like that of her best friend.

I knew that this novel was a psychological thriller by the description. I was expecting twists and surprises along the way. What I wasn't expecting was the switch to horror by the last third of the book. It kept building in intensity and - WOW - I did NOT see any of that coming!! The story turned creepy in a way that reminded me of the book "We Need to Do Something" by Max Booth III. The story is told completely from Farrah's point of view, so you aren't always sure what the truth is at any given time.

I really enjoyed this book! It covered the topics of adoption, racism, class warfare, and mental illness, all to varying degrees and with unique presentation. Some issues where addressed more subtly, woven into the fabric of the story, while others hit like a slap in the face.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroup#Dutton for an ARC of #CherishFarrah by #BethanyC.Morrow in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s about control; it always is.”

It’s all about control. Always has been and always will be for Farrah. And she is in control of the situation, even though her families home is in foreclosure and her parents have moved into a rental home while her mother still looks for a job after being let go over a year ago. Farrah is with her best friend Cherish, living in the lavish home her adoptive white parents can afford. This is where Farrah is and this is where Farrah will stay. She knows how to control the situation and she’s been doing it her entire life.

That’s the set up. And I was fooled, bamboozled, caught off guard. Control was always an illusion and I, nor Farrah, realized until it was almost too late just how much she had been fooled. This is a masterful bit of storytelling. I was so wrapped up in Farrah’s mind, seeing things through her eyes, that I couldn’t wrap myself around what was happening even though Morrow sprinkled the clues throughout the book. I was fooled because of the love that Farrah has for Cherish, the complicated relationship Farrah has with her mom and the benevolence of Cherish’s parents. When the twist finally comes near the end, I was completely at my wits end and had no idea how the story would conclude.

Suspensful horror it is indeed. Layered with the complicated relationship between parents and their child, the love between inseperable friends when situations that you don’t know how to navigate occur and the racism that exist and is prevalent in society. It’s a thriller that gets into your head with meanings that are almost impossible to decipher until it’s too late and the full horror of the situation is staring you right in the face. Highly recommend. This is what I want in a suspensefull horror novel. Morrow absolutely delivered with this.

After reading a few too many romances lately, I was excited to switch it up to a different genre. I've enjoyed horror books in the past and love thrillers and YA novels so this seemed like a very unique and interesting premise to me - YA horror. The writing was very engaging and while I was reading it, I wasn't able to put it down because I was interested to find out what would happen. Unfortunately, this didn't quite click for me. I didn't feel like much was happening at all until the very end and then it wrapped up really quickly.

This story was very unique and the POV told from Cherise's perspective was a good choice because I was wondering if she was a reliable narrator. Cherise and Farrah are best friends and the only two black girls in their community. Cherise was adopted by white parents while Farrah's black parents' house is being foreclosed on. Farrah goes to live with Cherise temporarily while her parents figure things out. But then the story sort of meanders for a bit. Cherise gets hurt and I'm not really sure what's going on. She possibly gets food poisoning but are we supposed to question if someone poisoned her. It's all so confusing for a good bit of the book until the conclusion when things come together. So this wasn't quite the book for me. I wasn't too scared but maybe that's because it was a YA? But then it had some odd parts and I guess was more a psychological thriller? Whatever it was, just didn't pan out for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

this was intense.

I wasn't sure quite what to expect when I picked up this book. The summary was intriguing. I think I was expecting a friends turn into rivals, with some teen angst and intrigue.

It was so much more than that.

Farrah is an intricate character. Her voice is unique and honestly chilling. Her internal monologues are so calculating and observant. She's playing a multi-level chess game in her head–with herself and with everyone around her, everyone that she considers and adversary or who may stand in the way of her achieving what she wants. She may be playing a long game but who else is?

This is definitely a page turner. I had some very unsettling moments reading this and I dreaded the final reveal, which was more intense than I expected.

There is an unsettling undercurrent throughout this whole book. You really get pulled into the story and the arc it's taking, which actually isn't going where you think it is. It weaves between the characters and the families and Farrah's observations and assessments of the dynamics she finds herself in.

Farrah and Cherish are simultaneously best friends/confidants and rivals/adversaries. It is a heated dynamic and I honestly didn't know where it was going to go until closer to the end.

I don't read much horror and I know this was labeled Social Horror but I was curious to try a new genre and a new author. The story was riveting. There is so much woven in here: parent/ child relationships, high school social hierarchy, living beyond your means, social status, white privilege, racial tension, race disparity, mother/daughter conflict, loss and financial insecurity, loyalty and conflict, emotional and physical abuse.

I found the end very abrupt. I think we needed more. It built up to this hugely emotionally charged and deeply disturbing scene and then pretty much ended.

One thing that troubled me was Farrah labeling herself a monster periodically in her conversations with her mother and her own internal monologues when thinking or having imaginary conversations with her mother. There were times in the book also where it was unclear to me if her mother was physically there or Farrah was conversing with her in her head.

The writing is good, tense and emotionally complex. Farrah is a challenging character. I found myself warming to various characters and then being unsettled by them a few pages later. The main character is an unreliable narrator but everyone around her is manipulating their own narrative as well so it's hard to trust anyone by the end. The passages where Farrah desperately seeks control are chilling. She masters herself and is so meticulous about her own manipulations and role play. it makes her hard to like, because she bursts onto the page in a full manipulative, controlling way, but so upsetting when you see where she has been played as well.

Overall some very thought provoking themes of race and privilege and class. What constitutes family, loyalty, privilege, social standing, accountability, trust, truth.

It's days later and I'm still thinking about it.


Overall I'd say 3 1/2 stars. It may be a hard read and some of it may seem implausible but it brings forward important themes that have me thinking days later. Did I like it? Hard to say. Did it make me think? Definitely.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did not find this book enjoyable. Having a premise for a good social horror plot does not make the story telling well done the execution was poor. This book is for adults yet the character is juvenile, nothing interesting or intelligent about Farrah not matter her control. Waiting until the 90 percent to reveal the twist was a complete waste of my time, I wished I had dnf'ed this book.

I am honestly not sure what I read. Described as Get Out and My sister is a Serial Killer this read like a fever dream. With the words manipulation and control haunting me over and over this book has left me thinking about it long after I finished.
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17 year old Farrah is one of two Black girls in a country club community. The other Black girl, Cherish is her best friend and raised by white parents. When Farrah’s parents lose their job and house she moves in with Cherish and her parents. She loves her best friend….even when she hates her.
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Something seems wrong in that house though. Fever dreams, mystery illnesses and a battle over who really is in control.
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This ending had me reread it several times to see if I legit read it correctly. I’m not sure if this one is for me but I know others who have loved it and I am still thinking about so that definitely says something!
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Thank you #dutton for an advanced copy.

I definitely did not know what to expect when getting ready to read Cherish Farrah. For me, this was definitely a page turner. I love a good thriller. I started getting "Get Out" / Jordan Peele vibes about 50% of the way through. I will admit, I was pretty confused for the first half of the book - like, where is this going? I don't know what to believe! I saw a description of this book label it as a "social horror", and I would definitely agree. It really gave readers an interesting view into race, class, and friendship. I loved the way Farrah narrated this book; there were so many metaphors and sentences with a deeper meaning that really made you think more about being in her shoes. I will even admit, Farrah's train of though scared me a bit because she would continuously self-describe as a monster. And like recognizes like, when she starts getting suspicious of her surroundings. I was fully not expecting the ending, but I really enjoyed this slow-burn thriller!

“Cherish Farrah” by Bethany C. Morrow was my first foray into social horror, and I will be eagerly watching both the author and this genre 👀

Thank you to Dutton Books for a gifted eARC of “Cherish Farrah,” which came out Feb 8.

Cherish Whitman and Farrah Turner are Black teenagers and longtime besties. Farrah likes to say that Cherish is “white girl spoiled” — Cherish’s adoptive parents are rich white people. When Farrah’s parents lose their home to foreclosure, Farrah moves in with the Whitmans. That’s when the horror show starts, as weird things start happening, like mystery illnesses and injuries.

I honestly think this blurb from the publisher sums it up the best: “Told in Farrah’s chilling, unforgettable voice and weaving in searing commentary on race and class, this slow-burn social horror will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.”

For me, the sense of impending doom that hangs over the book kept me reading. I enjoyed this one, because I really like dark books. Farrah’s inner voice is brutally honest, and I think this would be a fantastic audio book, too. Just remember that it is a slow burn! There are also some gross scenes — elements of horror for sure.

While I think this book could have been a tad shorter/more edited, the story was absolutely fascinating! Books don't often scare me, but this one did! I couldn't read it alone! And the commentary on race was an interesting element that I don't always find in horror.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve speaks with author Bethany C. Morrow all about her latest novel Cherish Farrah, which is described as, “From bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow comes a new adult social horror novel in the vein of Get Out meets My Sister, the Serial Killer, about Farrah, a young, calculating Black girl who manipulates her way into the lives of her Black best friend’s white, wealthy, adoptive family but soon suspects she may not be the only one with ulterior motives. . . .”

For the full interview with the author, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-cherish-farrah/

This book is a difficult one to review. On the one hand, it had the level of intrigue that made me desperate to keep reading. But on the other, there were a lot of things that meant that I didn’t enjoy this as much as I’d hoped to.

First of all, it’s a slow burn thriller about an intense friendship with fairly lengthy chapters. And the bulk of the weird stuff doesn’t kick in for a long time.

The POV is from one of the teen protagonists and I get that she’s alluded to as being some kind of monster throughout but I struggled to fully understand that. I was kind of hoping that would be addressed towards the end especially as things got a bit more unstable in terms of the imagery in Farrah’s head but I couldn’t make sense of it.

That said, I can see why this is marketed as a social horror. There are a few instances of graphic violence and body horror that made me a bit squeamish. Again, if that’s what you’re after then you really need to be prepared to wait for it because it does takes a while to get there.

I was very drawn into the description of this book and being compared to a movie and a book that I really enjoyed. However it's not working for me - and may be a case of just picking it up at the wrong time. Looking through reviews, I see this is a slow burn and that may be why it isn't working for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This is a haunting thriller about two best friends. I was immediately immersed into the setting and story that Bethany C. Morrow created. I could not stop reading as I tried to puzzle out what was happening. The storyline moved quickly as both friends explored what it means to support each other, especially through one of their big life changes. I finished this book days ago and I am still thinking and processing it! Thank you to Dutton books and NetGalley for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Holy cow, what a deliciously dark read! This is quite a dark, disturbing read, so if that isn’t your thing, I would not recommend. But if you’re like me and the more dark or disturbing, the better, than this book is for you! I think I was like others and thought this was a YA book, but if it’s labeled as such, I don’t think it should be, as it’s intense! Well written, with amazing character development, although the beginning was too slow and almost made me give up on it. Would definitely recommend to those whom love the dark, brutal reads, but be sure you have no triggers, as this may not be for you, if you do!

Cherish Farrah (brilliant title!) can best be described as a mix of Get Out and Us and would pair excellently with both of them and make a great program to go along with a discussion of the book.

The book is a little slow to get started as the plot is obvious from the get-go, but once it kicks into gear it's a great look at white privilege and how it's abused and a searing indictment of systematic racism and how people buy into even as they claim no knowledge or worse, "good intentions."

Though Cherish Farrah is an adult title it is definitely applicable and will find a home with teen and YA readers.

Searing and powerful, Cherish Farrah is a must read!

If asked to describe what this book was about, I’d really struggle to do so. I’ve seen some comparisons to this being a literary comparison to “Get Out”. If there is a societal message that readers were supposed to take away from the book, I was not clever enough to spot it. It starts off with descriptions of best friends and their respective familial structures having me thinking it would be needed to understand the further action, but that action never really came. Little things happen which seem to foreshadow something more ominous, but we don’t quite get there with this book. This is a rather bizarre book and unfortunately really didn’t leave me with much satisfaction. 2 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy for review.

Two teens girls who have an odd overly close and manipulative friendship that seems to be spinning out of control. This book seemed very YA. I found the plot pretty unbelievable especially that Farrah’s parents would give up that much control of their daughter. I was also kinda confused near the end. Maybe teens would like this better than I did.