2/5 Stars

Honestly... this one was a struggle to make it through. I’d be willing to reread it and alter my rating if the author made some drastic revisions before publication, but as it is currently, it's rough. The cover is gorgeous. I received an ARC of this work through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found this read kind of offensive. The way of thinking was just not for me. It felt like we took 10 steps back. I wasn't engaged in the writing. This was a DNF for me. I stopped at about 20%. I was excited to read this book but it just filled me with an icky feeling. The cover alone is amazing. But don't be fooled this book has a selective audience. I agree with what other reviewers are saying its pretty outdated in ideas and problematic.

Its a paranormal YA fantasy read. My daughter has no desire to read it. This book was marked to be like White Smoke and I LOVED that book. This book no way in any form compares to that read. Sadly this fell flat for me. But I am sure that there are readers out there looking for reads like that will truly enjoy it. But I am not one.

I like the general plot, but overall this didn't meet my expectations. The characters were all very unlikeable (the mother was insufferable in my opinion) but Jo felt like your average angsty teen. I still didn't love Jo, but at least she felt sort of real to me. However! There were some very odd semantic choices -- Jo referred to a lady in the bakery as a Nazi. This feels like something that a young teen would say, but that doesn't make it OK and it just seemed wrong.

Early in the book, around chapter 3 maybe, I was really intrigued. Gammy left the mysterious note for Jo and I needed to know what it all meant! But then the book started to lose steam for me.

Maybe I missed a vital piece of information, but it seemed to me that literally anyone in the town could have told Jo about the faeries and her job as a Lavoie and then maybe she wouldn't have been so hellbent on exploring the old house and breaking the ward. If she's the only one around who can handle the faeries, then she needs to know about them, right? I understand they wanted her to recover her memories in her own time and all, but honestly, this didn't seem like the best course of action.

Atmospheric and eerie. Sixteen year old Jo hasn't seen her grandmother since she was young, so it's a shock when she receives a letter that states that Maur has passed away and left her farmhouse to Jo. Jo's mother and stepfather immediately begin planning to sell, but Jo isn't so sure; something is drawing her back there. But things feel off as soon as she and her mother get to the house. There's iron around all the doors, the two tenants are definitely strange, and something just doesn't feel right, especially with the old house, which is always kept locked and barred. What secret is this house hiding, and why did Maur say that it's now Jo's responsibility? Jo is about to find out.

First off, I love this creepy cover. It drew me in right off the bat. I also really enjoyed this story overall. It didn't feel too slow to me. I liked the pacing. As soon as they get to the farm, the eerie mystery begins slowly unfolding. What is the truth about Jo's father? What was the traumatic event happened to her when she was last here? I couldn't wait to see where the story led, and I wasn't disappointed. This kind of slow burn fantasy with horror elements is right up my alley.

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

I didn't finish this one but from what I read, I did enjoy it. It wasn't amazing, but it was a decent read. I'm not sure why all the ratings are two stars. I think it's definitely at least a three star rating. I think this is just going to be one of those book you have to read and try for yourself to see if you like it.

The cover was better than the story. The premise is cool- teen inherits creepy old home in the middle of nowhere from her estranged grandmother. That's kind of where it ends for me. The writing left something to be desired. My eyes glazed over for so much of it, parts that went on and on and on about things that were not the least bit interesting or important. Lots of plot holes. I have so many questions. I thought there was so much potential here, but it just fell flat. 2 stars

I wanted to love this book especially because the synopsis was so intriguing but I found myself bored. I put it down and picked it up so many times. It just wasn’t for me.

I know that there may be a group of people who feel that the short, stilted sentences, followed by long almost run-on sentences, add to the ambiance of the story, but it just did not work for me. It was very difficult to remain engaged with the story, especially when odd excerpts would suddenly appear. I would like to attribute the inconsistencies of this work to the possibility that this arc is unedited, but it's really difficult to do so.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this book but I was honestly, but pleasantly surprised. After reading a lot of negative reviews I didn't have high hopes but I actually enjoyed it! I loved the setting and the creepy atmosphere, farm houses on lots of land have always freaked me out quite a few times. I was not expecting the fantastical elements but they were actually really interesting and added a lot to the story. I loved the character of Jo and her rebel attitude, reminded me a lot of myself at that age. I honestly think my favorite parts of the story though were the family dilemmas and character growth. I almost wish there was going to be a second book following Jo in her new life. The only reason I gave the book 3 stars was because at certain times it did drag a little and I was getting bored. Luckily this was a fast read so I wasn't bored for long before something exciting happened.

Thanks to Harper Teen for the gifted copy for my review!

Cherished was…different. While I empathized with Jo and her relationship with her family, I didn’t care about her journey to fulfill her “duty.” The truth about Tom and Hattie was an interesting twist but just enough to save the story. It feels as if something is missing as if the story is unfinished. I struggled to stay engaged but liked the over concept of the story. I know that some will love this story however, it simply was not for me.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Patricia Ward

I really wanted to like this, as YA horror is one of my favorite genres. This one fell really flat for me, after having read some really strong entries in YA recently.

I did not like the writing here. I do think I understand what the author was going for, which was perhaps a stream of consciousness situation, but it was unfortunate that I didn't like Jo at all, and the whole thing kind of felt very stereotypical teenager who hates her mom.

It was fine. It was sadly, forgettable, and I think teens that like this genre may pick it up. The cover is beautiful, so extra points for that.

"The Cherished" by Patricia Ward is a decent story that explores themes of love and loss, but unfortunately, it didn't quite resonate with me. While the premise was intriguing and the writing style competent, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and fully engage with the plot. Ward's attention to detail and descriptive prose were commendable, creating a vivid backdrop for the story. However, I felt that the pacing was inconsistent, with certain parts dragging on while others felt rushed. "The Cherished" may appeal to readers who enjoy heartfelt stories with a touch of romance, it ultimately didn't hit the mark for me as a five-star read but still an enjoyable dip into the story itself.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book where I didn’t really care for any of the main characters. I’m not sure what the author wanted Jo to come across as – she wants to be worldly and treated like the young adult she’s close to being, but so much of her inner monologue and actions are extremely childish. Her mother, Abigail, is in a class all her own with her comments. How the father’s mental state is portrayed via Jo had me cringing as well. A myriad of other things cropped up throughout the book as well that I was not a big fan of, mainly how they were discussed or represented. There are other reviewers that have gone into detail about how people are portrayed in this book, if that is something that could be a trigger for you I would recommend checking a variety of them. If the way Jo & Abigail act at the end of the book were all through the story this would’ve been a much more enjoyable character experience. Yes, they sort of grow as characters through the book but it isn’t until shit hits the fan that they actually behave like they remotely care about each other.

From the synopsis I was expecting horror and thriller – I don’t really feel like the book delivered on either of those. I would say suspense at best? Maybe it’s me but I was expecting this book to be darker – it did have its moments but not enough for it to hit the mark on horror or thriller. The reasons behind the fairies and the missing children were interesting but sad. I think that the original fairies could’ve been utilized a little bit more but maybe there will be a second book that does just that?

I would like to thank HarperCollins for the chance to read another interesting story that includes fairies. While this book may have not hit high marks for me it was still an interesting story and a quick read. All opinions are my own. Rounded from 2.5 stars.

I really enjoyed the genre blend of YA, horror, and dark fantasy in this one! I think the book comparisons were definitely accurate and set me up well to enjoy the story. Definitely felt a little younger than I think it was meant to feel but overall I enjoyed this one. Thank you so much Netgalley and Harper Collins for my review copy!

When Jo inherits her grandmother's house and property, she finds it odd. The memories of her dad and grandmother in that house were not the best memories. Her dad was was mentally unstable and her grandmother snapped and hit her with a rake when she was little. So when she got the letter regarding the property, it took her by surprise. Her parents are not too happy with the extra burden either. They are dead set on selling the property despite the fact that in the will, it states that the property must remain in the family.

When her and her mom go to assess the house and get it ready for selling, they are met with a little girl, who is now Jo's responsibility and a maintenance man who doesn't look like he is even human. Something about the house just doesn't sit right with Jo. According to her grandmother, she belongs here and now it is her turn to take care of the tenants and "do what must be done."

I did enjoy this book however, it took off a little slow for me. I enjoyed the story but felt like there could be more to develop the characters. When it did begin to pick up, it was about over half way through for me. The ending felt a little rushed for me. It felt as though details were left out of the story. It started off slowly building and then rushed to cross the finish line. Despite that, I would recommend this book to any YA reader who is looking for a quick creepy read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me this book in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

This was interesting. Not the best most well written and the characters were mostly annoying but the premise was interesting. Probably more like 2.5 stars but I’ll round up.

I was trying to get really into this one, since I knew it was about to get really spooky. However, within the first few pages there were some instances of some really ableist language, so I DNFed shortly after.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it lol. It was an interesting read. I feel like this reads more young. YA than older YA which is totally fine but I felt like the FMC was younger than 16 most of the time. If you are looking for a quick fairy/gothicesque read, check this one out!

I cannot believe this book exists in the year of our lord 2023 lol. Other reviews will tell you how poorly its been received as a problematic work, but I found the angst to be contrived, and the writing to be juvenile. I expected so much better from a modern YA story. DNF @ 30%.

This book is beautifully written and had my captivated from beginning to end! I couldn't wait to see what happened next.