Cherish Farrah by Bethany C Morrow

Brief Summary: This is a tale of two best friends; Farrah who is black and Cherish who is adopted by white parents. When financial troubles befall Farah’s family, she stays with Farah and her family manipulating her way in. Strange things start happening at the Whitman household and it’s anyone’s guess who is really in control.

Highlights: This struck me as an odd story of co-dependent best friends; one who is obsessed with control. By far the most fascinating part was when they discussed systemic racism and how a black girl was impacted by being raised by white parents.

Explanation of Rating: 2/5 this one just wasn’t for me

Thank you to Net Galley and Dutton Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Farrah and Cherish are best friends. They're also the only two Black girls in their country club community. The girls bonded quite deeply around the 4th-grade. Now at 17, they're closer than ever. Due to her parent's recent financial woes, Farrah's family is in a bit of an upheaval. Thus, she spends the majority of her time at Cherish's house. They have everything they could possibly want there and Cherish's adoptive White parents treat Farrah like a second daughter.

Farrah deserves this luxurious life just as much as Cherish and if her parents can't provide it for her, she's not afraid to get it elsewhere. Regardless of all that static though, Farrah really loves Cherish. Doesn't she?

Told in a stream of consciousness narrative style from Farrah's perspective, the Reader gets to be a fly on the wall observing this unique and possibly codependent friendship. Disturbing and tense, I really enjoyed my time reading Cherish Farrah. I'm not quite sure why the rating is so low for this one, but I am happy to be an outlier.

I won't claim to have understood all the nuance included within these pages, but I don't think I need too in order to appreciate the care and commitment Morrow poured into this story. I have previously read A Song Below Water and A Chorus Rises by Morrow and enjoyed both of those as well.

I feel like the writing style is quite similar over the three novels, but obviously with this one being Social Horror, the tone is quite different. This one is definitely more in my lane than the previous two. I would certainly classify this as a slow burn, but to me, it pays off. I was uneasy the whole way through, which frankly is a vibe I tend to enjoy. I wasn't sure who to trust. I kept flipping between the girls.

You can tell something is off, but who is causing that feeling? Is it Farrah, or is it Cherish? It was impossible for me to tell. It actually got a little stressful if I'm being honest. That just shows how invested I was. I felt it.

I also enjoyed the way Morrow explored race and privilege in this one. The dynamics of the characters families and relationships provided plenty of room for her to roam in that regard. I don't think I have ever read anything quite like it. I would recommend this to people who enjoy Social Horror, or uneasy feeling narratives in general. Stick it out and I think you'll enjoy it. I certainly did!

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate it so much. I'm such a fan of Bethany C. Morrow and will continue to pick up anything she writes!

Whoa, this was a wild ride.

The book is listed as a thriller, but when I started reading it, I was confused -- it seemed like a straightforward coming-of-age friendship story. Boy, was I wrong.

The reader notices pretty quickly that something is...not right about Cherish and Farrah's relationship. What follows is a thoughtful breakdown of wealth, race, relationships, family and female friendship in adolescence, full of twists and turns to the very end.

✨ Review ✨ Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow.

Warning: this is one hell of a slow burn. This is the sort of book you need to COMMIT to. But the pay off is so worth it!

This book is about teenage best friends Cherish and Farrah, who are temporarily living together with Cherish's family while Farrah's family is going through a hard time. Sharing too much about this book takes away from its haunted atmosphere, so I encourage you to go into this as blindly as possible.

I loved the ways that it tackled really complicated issues of race, privilege, family and parenting, friendship, wealth, and so much more. This is different than the other books by Morrow I read - definitely more of a horror vibe to it, but I enjoyed it all the same.

CW: manipulation, gaslighting, etc etc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: thriller, mystery, horror,
Location: somewhere in the country club suburbs
Pub Date: Out Now

Read this if you like:
⭕️ teen girl coming-of-age stories with a horror twist
⭕️ critical discussions of race, power, and privilege
⭕️ swimming pools, fast cars, and bffs

Thanks to Dutton and #netgalley for an e-copy of this book!

What the heck did I just read?

Honestly, I did not enjoy this book for about 85% of it. It ended with quite the bang that was all at once horrific, thrilling, suspenseful, and thought provoking - enough so that I will round up from 2.5 to 3 stars.

Normally, I love hating a main character. It can be so fun to read about characters behaving badly. However, I'm not sure I've ever disliked a narrator more than I disliked Farrah. She was honestly just awful. Manipulative, condescending, controlling (good god I never need to hear the word "control" again - NINETY-FIVE times in this 336 page book - yes I checked!), deceitful, and just utterly disingenuous. I hated the way she treated Cherish, Cherish's family, and her own parents. She was truly just abhorrent.

I wanted more on the racial aspects of a black girl being adopted by a white family. Cherish's parents were incredibly wealthy and we repeatedly heard about how Cherish was "white girl spoiled," but I think the book could have done more with this throughout the novel (and not saved it all for the end).

I did this book on audio and thought the narrator for Farrah did really well. Her voice was soothing and she played the part really well.

By the end, this book was certainly thought provoking, I wish it had just gotten there faster. Most of the book was Farrah telling us about how smart and in control she was and I wanted more action and plot.

Ultimately, this isn't one I'll be recommending but I am glad I picked it up and I'll be interested to see what else this author publishes in the future.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

I started this one & it just didn't grab me... I read the first few chapters and wasn't particularly invested, but if you like "social horror" you might try this one.

I ended up DNF-ing Cherish Farrah at around 20%. I love Bethany C. Morrow. She is an incredible author, and I’ve loved her other books.

When the publisher reached out and offered me an advance copy for review, I jumped at the chance, not realizing it was a thriller/horror, its tone very different from her previous novels.

The story centers around Cherish and Farrah, two Black teenage girls who are the only Black girls in their country club community. Their families are quite different—Farrah is the daughter of two Black parents; Cherish has been raised by her white adoptive parents. Their friendship is emotionally fraught, full of secrets and resentments. As a manipulative Farrah begins to spend more and more time at Cherish’s house, things start to get creepy.

I’m giving this four stars despite my DNF based on the quality of the writing and my general enjoyment of Morrow’s works. This is the case of me not enjoying horror stories. It’s not the book’s fault; it’s mine. For the right reader this could easily be a five star read.

unfortunately had to DNF this one. so disappointed bc this has been on my TBR for SO long and I was really looking forward to it. social horror is my favorite sub-genre.
I understand social/elevated horror can be quite slow to start, and usually is leading up to a major event near the end. but NOTHING happens in this book. I need more ominous, weird vibes along the way that at least ALLUDE to something nefarious going on but there was none of that here.

AM I EVEN CAPABLE OF WRITING A REVIEW OF THIS MIND FUCK OF A NOVEL?

Honestly, I shouldn't be writing this review right now, as I literally just set the phone down to open Goodreads and my brain is screaming.

I just.

They just.

Bethany C Morrow just.

Okay, let me. Just.

This is social horror. An entire new strain of genre I didn't know existed and absolutely want more of. The comparisons to Get Out are rampant, and appropriate. Knowing the comparisons, you feel like you kind of know where this is going, but the roller coaster constantly on the verge of derailing it takes to get there is an absolute shot of adrenaline straight to your brain.

I requested this from Netgalley, then ENTIRELY forgot what the book was about. So I went in basically empty handed, and didn't understand what I was getting into until the INTENSE manipulation began. Then I came to Goodreads find out what the hell I'd gotten myself into.

I cannot summarize, I cannot blurb. I can only give big flourish-y Vanna hands and say, "Just go. Just...go read it."

Though, to be fair, the twist is absolutely given away far too early, but honestly, it's okay. It still works. A LOT.

Cherish Farrah.. wow what was that.. Seventeen year old Farrah Turner is a very troubled young lady. She is rich & black & lives in a country club community.. she has a best friend who is also black, but was adopted by a white wealthy couple. Farrah believes that Cherish is WGS.. (white girlfriend spoiled) and you can’t decide if Farrah is jealous or has contempt for her friends lifestyle. But she slowly gets closer and closer to Cherish’s family. She plays mental games with her parents and Cherish’s parents & with Cherish. She seems to be playing a game that no one else is playing. This is where the story lost me. At first I thought I knew what was going on but after awhile I just didn’t get it. She has a lot of issues and probably needs some help from a therapist but that is neither here nor there. Overall this was a 3 star read for me. As always I am grateful Bethany C Marrow and Netgalley for my copy. This isn’t really my type of book but it might be for someone else.

This is a horror novel, plain and simple. I was sickened by some of the scenes in this novel, and the control one person held over the other.
Cherish and Farrah are two black teens from wealthy families. However, Cherish was adopted by white parents, and they have gone out of their way to care for her "blackness" in a white world. She is spoiled and loved. When Farrah and Cherish become friends in the 4th grade, they share a moment of pain and control that Cherish's parents admire. Later, Farrah begins to realize that not all is what it seems but she isn't sure whether Cherish knows what is happening. Farrah puts Cherish to the ultimate test, to see if Cherish truly loves Farrah.
I am white, so I don't presume to know what black teen girls face, but this friendship seemed unhealthy from the start. The control and hurt was something difficult to stomach, and the final scene was terrifiying.
This book is tense and grabs you from the beginning - but it does have some scenes that are cringe-worthy.
Thanks to Net Galley and Dutton Books / Penguin Random House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cherish and Farrah, best friends since fourth grade, are the only two Black girls in their country club housing development. Cherish Whitman, adopted at birth, lives in a lavish mansion with her doting white parents, while Farrah Turner lives a few blocks over, in a more modest home, with her Black mom and dad. When the Turner family is confronted with the foreclosure of their home, Farrah moves in with Cherish while her parents figure out what to do next. Farrah's life has always been about careful control -- control over her emotions, over her actions...and over other people, especially Cherish, who is the only person Farrah loves (even when she hates her). But as she grows closer to the Whitman family, it becomes increasingly difficult for Farrah to maintain her beloved sense of control.

Cherish Farrah is a slow burn, requiring the reader's patience as Bethany C. Morrow deliberately, meticulously sets the pace and tone of the story. Farrah's first-person narration is chilling and calculating, and it's claustrophobic, exhausting, and frustrating being inside her head. We are only permitted to see things from Farrah's perspective, and there are things she refuses to see -- and things she refuses to let us see. Everything Farrah says and does is intentional, and it's intriguing and disturbing to be privy to the inner workings of her mind as she weighs the consequences of various actions. I don't think I've ever encountered a character like Farrah in contemporary fiction before. She's so cold, so calculating, and she thinks she's so smart when, in reality, she is incredibly naive. This makes her a hard character to like, but also one that it's impossible not to sympathize with. Morrow's portrayal of her is nothing short of brilliant.

This is the kind of social horror novel that sneaks up on you. I thought I was just reading a character study about co-dependent best friends, when a scene right around the 50% mark had me sitting up and paying attention, mouth agape in shock. After spending the first half the book setting everything up, Morrow spent the second half blowing me away with her scathing analysis of race and class in America, exploring the insidiousness of racism in a shocking, impactful way. Weaving in themes of family dysfunction and the complexities of teen girl friendships, Cherish Farrah uses one troubled girl's disturbing perspective to share some incredibly important observations and tell some hard truths about racism and classism. This is a book I'll be thinking about for a long time.

Social horror... um yes please!

Cherish and Farah are two best friends, just as close as sisters. They are two of very few black individuals in a gated community - Farrah belonging to two biological parents and Cherish to two white, adoptive parents.

The book is written from Farrahs POVS which gives it such an eerie atmosphere and you really get the vibe that she is quite obsessed with Cherish and what she does in her life.

Was it the best horror/thriller I've read this year? No, however I really did enjoy it.

Dark. Wow. I don't even really know where to start with this one.

It was a slow build for me, and honestly almost a DNF, but once I got into the book more, I enjoyed it. I usually try to steer clear of racially charged books, but the story line of this one caught my attention immediately.

I feel like the synopsis gave away most of the plot, but still the details that remain within are bone chilling and dark. It definitely hits on race, inequality, class differences and secrets & lies abound in the pages! It is definitely worth the read.

Thank you Dutton and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Farrah and Cherish are best friends and the only Black girls in their country club community. Farrah is the only one with Black parents, and Cherish was adopted by white parents. Farrah's parents are currently figuring out their living situation so she's living at Cherish's for the time being. While the girls seem to be having the time of their lives living together, there is something dark slowly unfolding.

I went into this book expecting a thriller, but it was more of a slow-burning social thriller which wasn't a bad thing! I would just say don't go into this book expecting a fast-paced thriller, I think you will enjoy it more with that shift in your expectations. I also figured out the big reveal early on, but I would say it was still worth the read for me. I enjoyed the social commentary, and I think a lot of people could get a lot out of this book.

Even though I didn't love this one, I would try another book by this author. I especially recommend this one for fans of Leave the World Behind!

This was not what I expected and to be honest I don't know what that is. I read through this story rapidly eager to learn the truth but in the end I was left confused and felt like I had been taken in different directions. I closed the book whispered wtf. While I enjoyed some of the discussion on society and its perception of and how they treat black girls the mystery, supernatural or lack of really turned me off..

Cherish Farrah follows Farrah Turner who is seventeen and is one of the only black girls and has black parents. Farrah has a best friend called Cherish Whitman who is adopted by a white family and has money to get things that black parents can’t typically provide. She is white girl spoiled. Cherish is spoiled and there is a divide between Farrah and Cherish, lots of strange things happen at the Whitman household. It definitely has mystery and thriller elements. The writing of this novel was very good and I read the story in a day so it was compelling. I really liked the themes of this novel and would definitely recommend it.

Even though I read Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow over a week ago, I still have NO idea how I feel about it. This is a dark story to be sure, but it also feels a little abstract in a way that I think went over my head a bit. I got young adult vibes thanks to the ages of Farrah and Cherish, but there are definitely some adult themes in this book as well. The entire story is told from Farrah's viewpoint which I think really worked, and you get the feeling that she is more than a little obsessed with her friend. I basically spent the entire time wondering where the plot was going to go, and what the point of the story was going to be. There does end up being a big twist (to me) that I didn't see coming, but the beginning through the middle was just really strange and didn't really go anywhere for me besides repeating that Farrah and Cherish are friends that don't want to be apart.

I do think that the audiobook narrator matched the vibe of the book, and I can't think of a more appropriate choice than Angel Pean. This was the first time I have ever listened to her, but she was definitely perfect for this book, and I would want to listen to her on future audiobooks. I will also say that Cherish Farrah is one of the most unique books I have ever read so props to the author for being different. This story is completely character-driven and not just because I wasn't really sure what the plot was supposed to be getting at. The end just totally threw me for a loop and made up a bit for the ride to get there. I am not sure I would read another novel by Morrow, but I would still recommend this to the right person.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Cherish Farrah is the story of Cherish and Farrah-- best friends with very different lives. Both are Black, but one is adopted and raised by white parents. She's what Farrah calls "white girl spoiled" and is basically untouched by any hardships. When Farrah's family falls on hard times, Cherish's parents happily allow her to stay with them to finish out the school year.

But something is wrong-- Farrah isn't quite normal. And who is actually in control here?

This book speaks very eloquently about being Black, being female, and what it's like to have a best friend. The writing was absolutely gorgeous and flowery. It's interesting to see this kind of writing in a thriller/horror story. While I thoroughly enjoyed the tone, ambiance, and subject matter of this book, it was entirely too slow. It's marketed as a suspenseful, psychological thriller but the story doesn't *actually* become thrilling until the last ~15%. I wish we would have had more insight into characters besides Farrah before that point in the story. It would have helped to ratchet up the tension and help push the story forward. I found myself sort of slogging through from about 40-70% of the book until we started getting more action.

I would definitely recommend this book for people who love thrillers/horror, social commentary, and flowery imagery and writing.

This was very different but I liked it. It was compared to Get Out and I’ll say I think it was solid and lived up to my hype.