SLOW BURN THRILLER
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I first picked it up but I went with it anyway. About halfway through, I was wondering what to expect and why I should care about these two girls. On the one hand ew had Cherish, a seemingly sheltered girl who has had the ideal upbringing by her rich white parents and on the other, Farrah, a witty, sharp-minded (and sharp-tongued) best friend who's lived an almost parallel life until her parents lose it and they find themselves leaving the somewhat lavish life they once had.

Farrah moves in with Cherish and her family and soon finds herself trapped in a warped reality that she doesn't know she was living in the first place.

This book was a slow buildup but after it got going it was entertaining and the end was twisty and while not totally unexpected wrapped up the story nicely.

Read this if you liked GET OUT

An absolutely chilling read that I could not put it down. This was a compelling read that kept me guessing the whole time. A much needed refreshing take on a psychological thriller that I cannot recommend enough. This is the first adult novel I've read from Bethany C. Morrow and it will not be my last!

The love-hate relationship between teenage girl bffs is explored in Cherish Farrah.

Farrah is the child of upper middle-class black parents. Her best friend, Cherish, is the black adopted daughter of even wealthier white parents. When Farrah’s parents have financial difficulties, she decides to take over Cherish’s life of being WGS, white girl spoiled. That’s when things really start to get weird in this social horror tale.

Rarely do the publisher’s comparisons get it so spot on. Cherish Farrah really is like Get Out and My Sister, the Serial Killer. If you are a fan of either, you will be entranced by this book too. I think setting it in the world of teenage girls was a brilliant move. Though the pacing was slow like an old gothic novel (think Rebecca), the book deserves 4 stars for its intriguing take on an emerging sub-genre!

Thanks to Dutton Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cheris Farrah is the social commentary thriller I wasn't expecting. Cherish and Farrah are best friends and the only two black girls in their elite community and private school. Farrah's parents lose their house and she moves in with Cherish and her white adoptive parents. Strange things start to happen and the girls' friendship and love for each other is tested. The mystery takes quite a bit of building to get to but it sneaks up on you. Keep with it and see where the book leads.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton Books for the electronic advanced copy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cherish Farrah is a social thriller which follows Farrah, a Black girl with parents who have tried to give her the best life possible, but who lose their home when Farrah's mother loses her job. As they try to get back on their feet, Farrah stays with her best friend since childhood, Cherish, who Farrah likes to call White Girl Spoiled since Cherish was adopted by coddling white parents. With her own home life falling out from under her, Farrah wants what Cherish has, and will go to great lengths to get it.

First off, I loved this book. I was riveted, disgusted, confused, intrigued, heartbroken, creeped out... you name it, I probably felt it. Though the truth of the plot should have been predictable -- all the clues were there!! -- I was so convinced that something else was going on, I didn't see what was actually happening until I was in the middle of it.

I will say, I hated Farrah for 90% of this book. Part of my not figuring it all out before it happened was simply that her thought processes were so insane to me, I was convinced she was seeing/inferring things that weren't there, and so I read the book much more like it was documenting her own individual spiral into madness. And while perhaps that is an element of it all, I was glad in the end when there really was something else going on, and I was rooting for Farrah to get out of it all on top through the end of the book.

I'm really not sure what else to say other than this was an entertaining and haunting read, and a solid contender for my favorite Bethany C. Morrow book so far.

What a fantastic and chilling read! Farrah Turner is just 17 and best friends with the only other black girl in her wealthy enclave. Here best friend Cherish Whitman has a different situation as she was adopted by incredibly wealthy and powerful white parents who fulfill her every whim. Farrah is well aware that Cherish doesn't understand or appreciate her very special situation and tells us in this fascinating tale that :she loves her anyway or even because of it." But then Farrah's life changes dramatically when the Turner family is faced with moving due to Farrah wants only to stay with Cherish and her family who treat her like another daughter and they want her to stay as well. The question is, why?

This is social horror at it's best! It's a slow moving, burning book that tricks you into letting your guard down. I can't wait for you to read it and tell me what you think!

If you love sinister stories, creepy domestic thrillers and slow burning discussions on society..but most importantly, if you love Jordan Peele movies then this is certainly for you ! #CherishFarrah. #Penguin #Dutton

Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley! When I heard this title called a "social horror," I immediately thought it sounded like the fresh take that I needed (no ghosts, demons, serial killers, etc.). Farrah's character gave me chills at times because she seemed so calculating, and I couldn't figure out if she was really going to physically harm Cherish (or any characters), or if she just felt the underlying racisms rampant in the situation they were in. There was some big twists towards the ending, which tied everything together more. I admit, I did read a little historical background after finishing the book (which I can't reveal more about or will give away the plot), and that made a little more sense to me. All in all, loved the book, I think it would make an amazing film (Cherish's parents better be creepy)!

This is the kind of insidiously creepy social horror novel that sneaks up on you. I should have figured it out long before I did, the clues were right there in front of me, but I just went with the flow of the story and was surprised when it is all laid out in the end.

This is the story of Cherish and Farrah, the only two Black girls in their upper class community. Cherish is the adopted daughter of white parents, and Farrah is her best friend. Farrah's parents have lost their home to foreclosure and Farrah has been living with Cherish while her parents sort out their lives. While this is the story on the surface, there is so much going on underneath.

This book very slowly and deliberately unfolds, and if a reader doesn't have the patience to let that happen, this isn't the book for them. It is told from Farrah's point of view, and readers aren't allowed to see anything that Farrah doesn't want them to see. While it's occasionally frustrating to be in her head, by the end you know that everything presented in this novel is completely intentional. Morrow's writing is a brilliant treatise on racism and classism and how it slowly, so slowly winds its way through our lives to the point where once we realize it is here, we don't know what to do about it or how to stop it.

This is the third book I've read by this author and they keep getting better and better. If you can handle a slow burn, this is a brilliantly written novel.

CHERISH FARRAH is a slow burn in the best way, because the payoff is absolutely wild. This intense social horror explores race, class, and friendship through the lens of teen best friends Farrah and Cherish, who must navigate both a country club community and each others' lives. Fans of Alyssa Cole's WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING and Oyinkan Braithwaite's MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER will surely enjoy this original novel.

I did not finishing Cherish Farrah, despite the very interesting pitch (Get Out + My Sister the Serial Killer) because reading this was just so, so annoying. It's partially my own fault for picking up a YA book knowing fully well I don't usually like YA books, but I hadn't realized it was YA when I requested this advance copy, and decided to power through it. But I just couldn't stand the voice of the narrator, and so at 30% in I decided to give up; the plot had not moved on at all, which is fine for me if the main character's narration is compelling, which this was not. It was almost comical in its attempt to sound dispassionate, powerful and manipulative - we're supposed to believe this teen girl is basically a psychopath who wants to use her friend and her family to get access to their privileged lives, but she just sounds insufferable, braggy and not particularly effective at her manipulation. I could not get into the story or the main character's mind because it just sounded so... cartoonishly supervillain. I hope this will be a better fit for other readers.

Thank you to Dutton for an ARC of Cherish Farrah, publishing 2/8/22.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Although the premise was intriguing, the plot was too slow-moving and the introspective voice of Farrah was very wordy. The characters Cherish, Farrah, even their friends and family were extremely unlikeable and pretentious. Although this characterization fit with the storyline, it was unenjoyable to read about them. Nothing happened in the book until about 75% in, and I was never invested in the story. Overall, the story was odd and unsatisfying.

This book is a dark look at a friendship that's not what it appears to be, set in the super-privileged world of a family that's also not what it appears to be. The narrator is a sociopath who finds meaning in every gesture, flick of the eyes, twitch of the lips, and frankly, it's exhausting. There are some interesting messages buried inside the twisted tale, but the overall tone and narrative voice made this book unpleasant without a sissifying payoff to make it worthwhile.

Farrah thinks she’s in control as she manipulates her way into her best friend Cherish Whitman’s house. But Farrah will quickly learn that not everything is how it seems.

Both Farrah and Cherish are the only black girls in their wealthy community, but they have one big difference: Cherish is adopted and has white parents, and Farrah has black parents. As Farrah’s parents begin to sense something is wrong with the Whitman’s, they also believe something is not quite right with Farrah.

As Farrah becomes more and more unstable in her environment, she tries to gain her control back-leading to a horrifying truth.

Okay so I was going to give this book a solid 2 stars, I couldn’t piece together what was happening while I was reading it-but I also couldn’t put it down. While writing the summary, I realized that not being able to piece what was happening was 100% intentional and it deserves some credit for that because it was well done.

However, this type of story is just also not my favorite type of story & there was some pretty graphic events that made me nauseous and uncomfortable. One specific instance seemed unnecessary and was just gross, so that’s why it’s not quite a 4 star read!

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE ERIE READER // eriereader.com

We all know someone like Farrah: calculating, manipulative, and always seems to get her way, no matter the situation. Thinking she’s invincible, Farrah does as she pleases, with one word dominating her life and her choices: Control. But how can she control what she doesn’t know?

As one of two Black girls in her country club community and the only one with Black parents, Farrah Turner has seen the difference between her family and the others in her community, including her best friend, Cherish Whitman. Adopted by a wealthy white family, Cherish’s parents often indulge their daughter’s every whim and desire. Farrah uses this to her advantage, finding she can often exploit this privilege of her best friend’s familial position.

When things take a turn for Farrah’s family and foreclosure on their house occurs, she’s determined to regain control by staying with Cherish in the Whitman’s home as well as manipulating herself further into their lives.

Strange things begin to happen, though, and Farrah’s control quickly spirals away from her. Fever dreams, severe illness, and tensions running high with those outside the family all cause Farrah to become increasingly suspicious of what could really be taking place.

The commentary on race and class in Cherish Farrah cannot be missed, nor should it be. Morrow’s storytelling paints a stark contrast between the picture-perfect exterior on which we see the benevolent white family who adopt a Black child, and what’s really going on under the surface.

Morrow has made the interesting decision to tell the story in Farrah’s voice, even though she is a character whose manipulation and deceit often paint her in an unflattering light and can lead readers to potentially consider her an unreliable narrator. In any other setting, this choice would have fallen, but in this psychological, social horror, it adds much more intrigue than any concretely “good” character could bring.

One of the most intriguing phenomenon this novel brings is the slow burn of the story, leading readers into the thick of it before realizing how deep they’ve gotten, by which point it is too late to turn back, and they’ll be on the edge of their seats right until the end.

I was so excited for Cherish Farrah before it even began. But then I began reading and I became obsessed. Morrow's book is an intimate and intense look at the intricacies of friendship. How we let our families and friends see pieces and jagged edges of us. The lives we conceal from others. Cherish Farrah is about the masks we make in order to stay in good graces and survive. Morrow delivers fascinating and intriguing character dynamics from the very beginning. All the little ways we create an image of ourselves and calculated chaos.

I cannot spoil too much of Cherish Farrah for you, but just know that I was moved, alarmed, and fascinated all at once. There are layers upon layers of secrets, hints of unreliability, and simultaneous wants and dangers. Throughout the book, I lost sight of exactly who was in control. These calculated phrases and retractions, statements and accusations. Cherish Farrah manipulates truth and perception.

As usual, Bethany Morrow has crafted something hauntingly addictive and thought-provoking.

This social horror is dark and tense tale full of complex relationships, obsession and bone-chilling real-life fear. Each character is a mystery, and it's impossible to know who to trust - they're written perfectly in a way that even if you don't like them, you're completely invested in them and where they're going next.

A curiously cerebral, dream(nightmare)-like story that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.

Interesting tale of two young women entwined together in social horror. This is probably best read by the YA/NA crowd who will appreciate some of the small details that did not resonate with me. What did resonate was the anger which rose off the page. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I know I'm the odd one out but this wasn't for me.

This is a hard book to review. I don't have the words to explain what it is about. I think the back of the book is a bit misleading,making you think you are going to get some more horror elements, even though it is billed as social horror.
With that said it completely suffocating and dark to read. I think a lot of this book could use a bit more details and fine tuning to make it more understandable. Despite what is the twist of the book ,which sadly is predictable once it is presented, I still felt I don't know completely what was going on with Farrah.

Cherish is the black daughter of a very wealthy white couple. Farrah, her best friend, is black and her parents are as well. Together, these girls seem to have it all. Then Farrah's mom loses her job, and their house is foreclosed on. Forcing them to make some changes which include leaving Farrah behind with her best friend Cherish and her parents to live. What seems like a perfect situation, goes wrong when lots of strange things start to happen.

*Thank you to Bethany C. Morrow, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/cherish-farrah/

“She isn’t just the home I’ve chosen; I’m the one who mattered. I’m the one who saw her. When she thought she was comfortable in the life her parents made for her, even with their hair and skin care classes, and their social awareness, and the way they’ve been intentional in raising a healthy, protected Black daughter. They made her vulnerable. They gave her a void, and I filled it.” –Farrah Turner, Cherish Farrah

If you are expecting a light, funny novel about two Black girls in a white community who become best friends, this book isn’t it. Cherish Farrah is dark and gets darker. Told from the point of view of Farrah, we only see what she sees and she is not a reliable narrator. We only hear what her thoughts are; they are dark and creepy.

Bethany C. Morrow has created a masterpiece where the plot line is creative and terrifying but familiar in an uncomfortable way. Farrah and Cherish have been best friends since they were five; the only two Black girls at a private school in a white country club community. The only difference between them is that Farrah’s parents are Black and Cherish’s adoptive parents are white; with Farrah sometimes telling her she was just like a spoiled white kid. When her parents become bankrupt and must sell their house in this privileged community, Farrah goes to stay with the Whitmans, who treat her like a second daughter. She becomes increasingly jealous and enraged that her parents can’t even keep a house while Cherish lives in oblivion and never has to want for anything. Farrah is increasingly manipulative, needing control at all times. “Control” is always on her mind. Especially with her mother, whom she calls Nichole Turner rather than Mom. As the book gets creepier, we start to understand what is really going on in the Whitman household and that maybe Farrah is just the one who receives consequences for Cherish’s actions.

Cherish Farrah stars off slowly. As the reader, I couldn’t determine if Farrah was a psychopath or a victim. It is a slow burn and well worth the wait when it picks up towards the middle of the book. This is a “social thriller”, meaning a film or book genre using suspense and horror to augment instances of oppression in society. The plot includes a lot of questions regarding race, friendship, lies, and class differences. We engage with both characters; though we only hear from Farrah. Morrow is skilled with her words as we can feel the tension slowly building between each character, which brings us to a conclusion that is both jaw dropping and also a little weird.

As one of the most talked about books of the year, this was incredibly sinister, with each character having something to prove, and not in a good way. Yet, they were all likable and easy to empathize with. It is a book you want to look away from but are mesmerized by what you think is going to happen. As the reader, I certainly won’t forget Cherish Farrah for a long time.