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So Pretty
The arrival of a young man in a small town sparks, hoping to leave his past behind him, but everything changes when he takes a job in a peculiar old shop, and meets a lonely single mother... A hypnotic gothic thriller and a mesmerising study of identity and obsession.
When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely to its proprietor risk a bad end.
Despite their warnings, Teddy is desperate to understand why Rye has come to fear this one man, and to see what really hides behind the doors of his shop.
Ada moved to Rye with her young son to escape a damaged childhood and years of never fitting in, but she' s lonely, and ostracised by the community. Ada is ripe for affection and friendship, and everyone knows it.
As old secrets bleed out into this town, so too will a mystery about a family who vanished fifty years earlier, and a community living on a knife edge.
Teddy looks for answers, thinking he is safe, but some truths are better left undisturbed, and his past will find him here, just as it has always found him before. And before long, it will find Ada too.
When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely to its proprietor risk a bad end.
Despite their warnings, Teddy is desperate to understand why Rye has come to fear this one man, and to see what really hides behind the doors of his shop.
Ada moved to Rye with her young son to escape a damaged childhood and years of never fitting in, but she' s lonely, and ostracised by the community. Ada is ripe for affection and friendship, and everyone knows it.
As old secrets bleed out into this town, so too will a mystery about a family who vanished fifty years earlier, and a community living on a knife edge.
Teddy looks for answers, thinking he is safe, but some truths are better left undisturbed, and his past will find him here, just as it has always found him before. And before long, it will find Ada too.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2023
41 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
Ronnie Turner
5 books79 followersRonnie Turner grew up in Cornwall, the youngest in a large family. At an early age, she discovered a love of literature and dreamed of being a published author. Ronnie now lives in Dorset with her family and three dogs. In her spare time, she reviews books on her blog and enjoys long walks on the coast. She is currently working on her second novel.
Ronnie's debut novel, Lies Between Us, will be published by HQ Digital in October 2018.
Twitter: @Ronnie_ _Turner
Facebook: @RonnieTurnerAuthor
Instagram: @ronnieturner8702
Website: www.ronnieturner.wordpress.com
Ronnie's debut novel, Lies Between Us, will be published by HQ Digital in October 2018.
Twitter: @Ronnie_ _Turner
Facebook: @RonnieTurnerAuthor
Instagram: @ronnieturner8702
Website: www.ronnieturner.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
February 24, 2023
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 4.5 STars
Story - 4.5 STars
August 22, 2025
Look at that stunning cover, so pretty, indeed.
WARNING: This book is not pretty. Dark? Yes. Disturbing? Very much so.
Welcome to the town of Rye.
Ada and her 4 year old son, Albie, have lived in Rye for two years. She has continually tried to make friends with the town folk but they usually just ignore her and it is often she hears them speaking poorly about her when they don't know she's around. A single mother of a son with an ear deformity does not warm the residents heart so they all try to keep their distance.
Teddy Colne has recently moved to town. The residents have warned him to stay away from the curiosity shop of Berry & Vincent. They say there is a dark veil that hangs over the shop. Children hold their breath as they pass by. The town has feared the shop since the moment it has arrived.
But, Teddy needs a job and old Mr. Vincent needs an assistant. What's the worst that could happen?
When Teddy and Ada meet an easy friendship begins and they both feel less lonely for it. As the friendship progresses red flags begin to appear. Motivations seem much more sinister. Are Teddy or Ada who they say they are? You'll have to read this to find out.
Ronnie Turner has impressed me yet again. I loved Small Fires when I read it earlier this year so I immediately purchased a copy of this and I have no regrets. Her lyrical prose matched with the gothic atmosphere really sets the scene. This is a book full of dread and foreboding so obviously my black heart loved every minute. I am eagerly anticipating anything she writes next. 4 stars!
WARNING: This book is not pretty. Dark? Yes. Disturbing? Very much so.
Welcome to the town of Rye.
Ada and her 4 year old son, Albie, have lived in Rye for two years. She has continually tried to make friends with the town folk but they usually just ignore her and it is often she hears them speaking poorly about her when they don't know she's around. A single mother of a son with an ear deformity does not warm the residents heart so they all try to keep their distance.
Teddy Colne has recently moved to town. The residents have warned him to stay away from the curiosity shop of Berry & Vincent. They say there is a dark veil that hangs over the shop. Children hold their breath as they pass by. The town has feared the shop since the moment it has arrived.
But, Teddy needs a job and old Mr. Vincent needs an assistant. What's the worst that could happen?
When Teddy and Ada meet an easy friendship begins and they both feel less lonely for it. As the friendship progresses red flags begin to appear. Motivations seem much more sinister. Are Teddy or Ada who they say they are? You'll have to read this to find out.
Ronnie Turner has impressed me yet again. I loved Small Fires when I read it earlier this year so I immediately purchased a copy of this and I have no regrets. Her lyrical prose matched with the gothic atmosphere really sets the scene. This is a book full of dread and foreboding so obviously my black heart loved every minute. I am eagerly anticipating anything she writes next. 4 stars!
February 7, 2023
Wow! I stumbled on this book accidentally and so glad I did, what a pleasant surprise. This book was creepy and I loved it! 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 27, 2023
Ronnie Turner may have the looks of an Angel with her peaches and cream complexion, bright blue eyes and flowing blonde locks but don’t let that fool you as she has a mind as dark as Satan’s cloven hooves.
This is some seriously dark sh*t! At first I thought the shop Berry & Vincent reminded me of Stephen King’s Needful things but Leland Gaunt is sunshine and flowers compared to Mr Vincent. He gave me and all the locals of Rye a severe case of the heebie jeebies. Children hold their breath as they walk past the shop and the window displays are brutally gruesome in their depictions of recent traumas.
Before long it seems he is infecting newcomers Teddy, Ada and her son Albie, like a virus looking for new hosts is the best way I can describe it. I had really come to care for them as they have overcome troubled childhoods and were desperately lonely. Was it too late? Were they already too damaged by their parents? I hoped not, but as I was reading this didn’t feel like a book that would have a happy ending.
Does evil lurk behind the door of Berry & Vincent? I dare you to step inside and find out!
This is some seriously dark sh*t! At first I thought the shop Berry & Vincent reminded me of Stephen King’s Needful things but Leland Gaunt is sunshine and flowers compared to Mr Vincent. He gave me and all the locals of Rye a severe case of the heebie jeebies. Children hold their breath as they walk past the shop and the window displays are brutally gruesome in their depictions of recent traumas.
Before long it seems he is infecting newcomers Teddy, Ada and her son Albie, like a virus looking for new hosts is the best way I can describe it. I had really come to care for them as they have overcome troubled childhoods and were desperately lonely. Was it too late? Were they already too damaged by their parents? I hoped not, but as I was reading this didn’t feel like a book that would have a happy ending.
Does evil lurk behind the door of Berry & Vincent? I dare you to step inside and find out!
January 16, 2023
I met Ronnie Turner a few years ago at a crime festival and she seemed absolutely lovely, a sweet young girl and a brilliant blogger. She had her first book published in 2018 and her latest book SO PRETTY is being published by the super powerhouse that is Orenda Books.
I was looking for a book to read as part of my 2023 reading challenge and a few people recommended this so I started it without even reading the blurb except for noticing the reference to “Gothic Thriller” on the cover.
Now I don’t really know what “Gothic” means so I asked Google and he reliably told me it means “Dark, atmospheric settings. Unsettling and often supernatural storylines. A sense of horrifying dread that leaves the reader wondering who they can trust.” and “Gothic novelists are not afraid of anything — they embed social criticism within the genre, they depict the dark side of human nature and they deal with the bigger issues of real life horrors“
Now let’s discuss So Pretty – if you are looking for a light-hearted, laugh a minute story you really don’t want to read this book. I really don’t know how to describe this book without putting you off because it’s grim, it’s raw, it’s brutal, it’s emotionally draining, mentally exhausting, stomach-clenchingly terrifying, the overall feelings of fear and dread literally drip from each chapter. It’s unpleasant, sad, scary, distressing, disturbing and downright dark – but here’s what really matters… the writing is exquisite and what is unbelievable is that the author is only in her early 20’s…. in fact I have underwear older than Ronnie Turner. I can’t get my head around her talent. Her writing is so beautiful, it’s practically poetic.
The story centres around two lonely people who have recently moved to a small town called Rye. Both are treated as outsiders by the villagers and both have pasts they are trying to escape. Ada, a young single mum to 4 year old Albie have lived in Rye for 2 years and have yet to make any friends. Teddy is a young man who starts working at Berry & Vincent, the towns Antiques and Curiosity shop. Both characters are drawn to each other through their loneliness and a friendship starts to blossom.
Each character narrates their own story through short chapters and this is where Ronnie brings them to life – flaws and all. Both Ada and Teddy are so damaged from their pasts but can they learn from their parents and change their ways and find happiness?
This is a story that filled me with dread and disgust. It chilled my bones and shook me to the core. It got under my skin and into my head and left me feeling unclean. I can’t actually begin to express how dark this book is or how gifted Ronnie Turner is.. you will just have to buy the book on 19th January and see for yourself.
OUTSTANDING, HARROWING, DARK, CREEPY
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was looking for a book to read as part of my 2023 reading challenge and a few people recommended this so I started it without even reading the blurb except for noticing the reference to “Gothic Thriller” on the cover.
Now I don’t really know what “Gothic” means so I asked Google and he reliably told me it means “Dark, atmospheric settings. Unsettling and often supernatural storylines. A sense of horrifying dread that leaves the reader wondering who they can trust.” and “Gothic novelists are not afraid of anything — they embed social criticism within the genre, they depict the dark side of human nature and they deal with the bigger issues of real life horrors“
Now let’s discuss So Pretty – if you are looking for a light-hearted, laugh a minute story you really don’t want to read this book. I really don’t know how to describe this book without putting you off because it’s grim, it’s raw, it’s brutal, it’s emotionally draining, mentally exhausting, stomach-clenchingly terrifying, the overall feelings of fear and dread literally drip from each chapter. It’s unpleasant, sad, scary, distressing, disturbing and downright dark – but here’s what really matters… the writing is exquisite and what is unbelievable is that the author is only in her early 20’s…. in fact I have underwear older than Ronnie Turner. I can’t get my head around her talent. Her writing is so beautiful, it’s practically poetic.
The story centres around two lonely people who have recently moved to a small town called Rye. Both are treated as outsiders by the villagers and both have pasts they are trying to escape. Ada, a young single mum to 4 year old Albie have lived in Rye for 2 years and have yet to make any friends. Teddy is a young man who starts working at Berry & Vincent, the towns Antiques and Curiosity shop. Both characters are drawn to each other through their loneliness and a friendship starts to blossom.
Each character narrates their own story through short chapters and this is where Ronnie brings them to life – flaws and all. Both Ada and Teddy are so damaged from their pasts but can they learn from their parents and change their ways and find happiness?
This is a story that filled me with dread and disgust. It chilled my bones and shook me to the core. It got under my skin and into my head and left me feeling unclean. I can’t actually begin to express how dark this book is or how gifted Ronnie Turner is.. you will just have to buy the book on 19th January and see for yourself.
OUTSTANDING, HARROWING, DARK, CREEPY
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 11, 2023
This is the story of three very different people, each of them loners, who have been drawn together by some strange and twisted turn of fate. Its presence in each of their lives unleashes something quite intense and often uncontrollable. It’s also a story of obsession and the overwhelming need for possession. Actually, the entire story will many times make your skin crawl. Teddy is a young man who moves to Rye hoping to make a new start. He begins work at a shop called Berry & Vincent...a strange place that is filled with all manner of antiques and curiosities. The local people rush by the shop, but for visitors to the town it holds a strange, eerie fascination. Something about the place, and it's strange, uncommunicative owner, Mr. Vincent attracts Teddy also. Some of the scenes between the two of them feel very uncomfortable but still, strangely compelling. The way they start to impact each other results in the steadily increasing sense of unease that runs through this novel. The third person who makes up this unusual and ultimately destructive trio, is a young mother, Ada, who, with her son, Albie, moves to Rye for a fresh start. Like Teddy and Mr. Vincent, Ada lives a rather solitary life, with no real friends or people looking out for her, other than her father, and that will be, in part, the root of all of their undoing. With these three characters, the author has created a story which will produce a whole host of emotions and feelings. I initially felt sympathy for Teddy who is running from his past. He tried to fit in and not draw attention to himself. However, there is far more to Teddy than first appears... and working along with Mr. Vincent soon changes his personality. Soon those little quirks come boiling up to the surface. Mr. Vincent has little to say, but his interactions with Teddy will speak volumes without a single word being uttered. There was something not quite right about him that comes across right from the start. A dark side...which is slowly uncovered...scenes and revelations which will cause anger and disgust, which adds a layer of tragedy to an already disturbing tale. Ada is a stark contrast to the pair and this, and Albie’s delightful innocence lend a small ray of light to the dark and consuming shadows of Berry & Vincent. The chapters are short and they alternate between Ada and Teddy’s points of view. The differences of the personalities bring into the question of whether a person is born bad or becomes bad through circumstance...the old nature verses nurture question is strong and perfectly explored. There is also that sense that environment is a key factor in the slow descent into a kind of madness that envelops one of the characters. Be prepared to be surprised and held captive by this book.
February 7, 2023
Oh, my oh my! So Pretty is a not so pretty modern day gothic thriller. It’s a deliciously dark story that explores identity, obsession, and nature versus nurture. Ronnie Turner has written a cracker of a book, with a startling and melodramatic narrative, its dark and picturesque scenery, and an atmosphere of mystery, fear, and dread.
Teddy Colone arrives in the small town of Rye, hoping to leave his past behind him, but everything changes when he takes a job in Berry & Vincent an Old Curiosity Shop, and meets Ada, a lonely single mother. They are two fragile souls, both harbouring dark family histories. On first impressions, they appear to be made for each other, but as their friendship deepens and obsession grows, their relationship becomes toxic.
Berry & Vincent is the perfect setting for Pretty Things, it’s a much a character as Teddy and Ada. It’s a place that conjures up a sense of dread, a place that’s shrouded in dark secrets, with evil lurking in its shadows. The darkness of the place radiates out on to the streets of Rye and its townsfolk. It’s a place that makes people hold their breath as they pass in fear of inhaling the shop’s darkness.
Urging the reader on is the sense of foreboding that grows at every turn of the page. Considering the subject matter So Pretty is beautifully written, each word and every word is skilfully drawn, the plot is dark as night, and yet there’s something memorising about Teddy’s and Ada’s story that urges the reader on to its stunning conclusion. Ronnie Turner has written what I can only describe as ‘an intense, creepy and utterly chilling read. Highly recommended.
Teddy Colone arrives in the small town of Rye, hoping to leave his past behind him, but everything changes when he takes a job in Berry & Vincent an Old Curiosity Shop, and meets Ada, a lonely single mother. They are two fragile souls, both harbouring dark family histories. On first impressions, they appear to be made for each other, but as their friendship deepens and obsession grows, their relationship becomes toxic.
Berry & Vincent is the perfect setting for Pretty Things, it’s a much a character as Teddy and Ada. It’s a place that conjures up a sense of dread, a place that’s shrouded in dark secrets, with evil lurking in its shadows. The darkness of the place radiates out on to the streets of Rye and its townsfolk. It’s a place that makes people hold their breath as they pass in fear of inhaling the shop’s darkness.
Urging the reader on is the sense of foreboding that grows at every turn of the page. Considering the subject matter So Pretty is beautifully written, each word and every word is skilfully drawn, the plot is dark as night, and yet there’s something memorising about Teddy’s and Ada’s story that urges the reader on to its stunning conclusion. Ronnie Turner has written what I can only describe as ‘an intense, creepy and utterly chilling read. Highly recommended.
November 22, 2024
(2.8✨) I can’t tell- did I enjoy this book? Did I not? Why did we have to learn about Vincent if the mystery of that shop wasn’t going to be the main plot of the story? Why was the kid adopting Teddys mannerisms after not seeing him for a year? But like it was still kinda interesting? I’m so confused man
January 13, 2023
Whoever described this novel as a 'modern-gothic thriller' got it spot on. The creepy curiousity shoppe Berry & Vincent, with its gruesome inventory, was macabre. It's owner, Mr. Vincent was memorable to say the least. Mr. Vincent, though small, elderly, and stooped, exuded a vibe of evil malevolence. The town itself seemed corrupted by the very fact that Berry & Vincent's was located within it. After Teddy works for a while at Berry & Vincent, the reader questions whether he has come to be infected by the malignance that permeates the store and its owner. Has Mr. Vincent met his nemesis?
"Rumours are like rot here, they spread."
The narrative alternated in chapters between Teddy and Ada. Both of these characters were very lonely people - so much so that they both exhibited an air of desperation. Both were attempting to outrun their pasts. Both lived their lives as outsiders, never really feeling accepted. Teddy and Ada had parents who should never have had children. Teddy is fearful that strangers will equate him with the sins of his father. Ada is fearful that her childhood experiences of growing up in a house in which her mother didn't show her any caring or affection will somehow carry over to her young four-year-old son, Albie.
"Some people shouldn't be parents. They are broken, then they break their children."
The story was told with eloquent and atmospheric prose and descriptions. "There was a pain in my middle, as if my stomach has teeth and it is eating every other part of me." AND "She has so many sharp edges. She sharpened them herself when she was a girl. To cut her father's fingers."
This is Ronnie Turner's second novel, and now I'm eager to go back and read her debut "Lies Between Us". I found "So Pretty" to be dark, chilling, haunting, disturbing, and very well written. A book of damaged people, toxic atmosphere, and addled minds. It makes the reader wonder about genetics. Are we predestined to follow in our father's footsteps? And evil... ? Monsters ARE real. Recommended for readers who don't mind being a tad terrified while they read, and those who don't mind an ending which will chill you to the bone.
"Rumours are like rot here, they spread."
The narrative alternated in chapters between Teddy and Ada. Both of these characters were very lonely people - so much so that they both exhibited an air of desperation. Both were attempting to outrun their pasts. Both lived their lives as outsiders, never really feeling accepted. Teddy and Ada had parents who should never have had children. Teddy is fearful that strangers will equate him with the sins of his father. Ada is fearful that her childhood experiences of growing up in a house in which her mother didn't show her any caring or affection will somehow carry over to her young four-year-old son, Albie.
"Some people shouldn't be parents. They are broken, then they break their children."
The story was told with eloquent and atmospheric prose and descriptions. "There was a pain in my middle, as if my stomach has teeth and it is eating every other part of me." AND "She has so many sharp edges. She sharpened them herself when she was a girl. To cut her father's fingers."
This is Ronnie Turner's second novel, and now I'm eager to go back and read her debut "Lies Between Us". I found "So Pretty" to be dark, chilling, haunting, disturbing, and very well written. A book of damaged people, toxic atmosphere, and addled minds. It makes the reader wonder about genetics. Are we predestined to follow in our father's footsteps? And evil... ? Monsters ARE real. Recommended for readers who don't mind being a tad terrified while they read, and those who don't mind an ending which will chill you to the bone.
September 9, 2023
This is a very twisted, dark story (you have been warned), but I found myself reading at any opportunity, as I was desperate to get to the end for some answers, hence the 4 stars.
January 3, 2023
This book feels like it has been a long time coming but it was so worth the wait. From the very opening pages of this book, you get a sense of foreboding, that brooding atmosphere and unsettling tone that captivates and draws you through a tale as twisted and unnerving as the various trinkets and oddities that fill the shelves of the novel's infamous store - Berry & Vincent. This is a pure gothic delight, echoes of Stephen King, but a modern mystery with old-worldly undertones.
This is the story of three very different people, each of them loners, drawn together by some strange and twisted turn of fate, and whose presence in each other's lives unleashes something quite intense and often uncontrollable. It's a tale of obsession and the overwhelming need for possession that will make the skin crawl. Teddy is a young man who moves to Rye in a bid to make a new start. He begins work at Berry & Vincent, a strange shop full of the kinds of antiques and curiosities that make the local people rush by, but which hold a strange fascination for visitors to the town. Something about the place, and its strange, uncommunicative owner Mr Vincent, draws Teddy in. Some of the scenes between the two of them feel totally uncomfortable and yet strangely compelling, and the way in which they start to impact upon each other results in the steadily increasing sense of unease that underpins the novel. The third person who makes up this unusual and ultimately destructive trio, is young mother Ada who, alongside her son, Albie, moves to Rye for her own fresh start. Like Teddy and Mr Vincent, Ada lives a rather solitary life, with no real friends or people looking out for her, other than her father, and that will be, in part, the root of all of their undoing.
Through the three characters Ronnie Turner has created a story which is challenging and created q whole host of emotions and feelings within me. Initially I felt a kind of sympathy towards Teddy, a young man who is running from his past and trying to escape the sphere of his own father's infamy. It was easy to feel that sympathy, to understand his need for anonymity, and how he sought to fit in without drawing attention to himself. But he is a far more complex and nuanced character than he first appears, and changes in his personality from working alongside Mr Vincent soon bring those quirks to the surface. Vincent says little, his interactions with Teddy speaking volumes without a single word being uttered. There is a potency about him that comes across from the start, a dark side which is slowly uncovered, scenes and revelations which will cause anger and disgust, adding a layer of tragedy to an already troubling tale. Ada is a stark contrast to the pair and this, and Albie's delightful innocence cast a small element of light within the all consuming shadows of Berry & Vincent.
Readers are gradually drawn towards a stark, but perhaps inevitable conclusion, an overspilling of the obsession and depravity that we have seen building throughout the book. The scenes towards the end of the book are amongst the darkest of them all, none gratuitous in the way they are presented, but the author's mastery of language leaving a mark and certainly making you feel uncomfortable, but in a way which makes you want to read on rather than look away. The chapters are short but effective, alternating between Ada and Teddy's points of view, the author managing to keep the voices truly distinct. The exploration of personality, of the question mark placed over whether a person is born bad or becomes bad through circumstance, nature verses nurture as it were, is strong and perfectly framed. There is also that sense that environment is a key factor in the slow descent into a kind of madness that envelops one of the central characters in the book.
Be prepared to be surprised and enthralled by this book. There is a beautiful and lyrical nature to the prose that helps in not only bringing the setting to life, but in creating that pulsing tension that always beats just below the surface. It makes quite the impact while reading and stays with you long after that final page too. Definitely recommended.
This is the story of three very different people, each of them loners, drawn together by some strange and twisted turn of fate, and whose presence in each other's lives unleashes something quite intense and often uncontrollable. It's a tale of obsession and the overwhelming need for possession that will make the skin crawl. Teddy is a young man who moves to Rye in a bid to make a new start. He begins work at Berry & Vincent, a strange shop full of the kinds of antiques and curiosities that make the local people rush by, but which hold a strange fascination for visitors to the town. Something about the place, and its strange, uncommunicative owner Mr Vincent, draws Teddy in. Some of the scenes between the two of them feel totally uncomfortable and yet strangely compelling, and the way in which they start to impact upon each other results in the steadily increasing sense of unease that underpins the novel. The third person who makes up this unusual and ultimately destructive trio, is young mother Ada who, alongside her son, Albie, moves to Rye for her own fresh start. Like Teddy and Mr Vincent, Ada lives a rather solitary life, with no real friends or people looking out for her, other than her father, and that will be, in part, the root of all of their undoing.
Through the three characters Ronnie Turner has created a story which is challenging and created q whole host of emotions and feelings within me. Initially I felt a kind of sympathy towards Teddy, a young man who is running from his past and trying to escape the sphere of his own father's infamy. It was easy to feel that sympathy, to understand his need for anonymity, and how he sought to fit in without drawing attention to himself. But he is a far more complex and nuanced character than he first appears, and changes in his personality from working alongside Mr Vincent soon bring those quirks to the surface. Vincent says little, his interactions with Teddy speaking volumes without a single word being uttered. There is a potency about him that comes across from the start, a dark side which is slowly uncovered, scenes and revelations which will cause anger and disgust, adding a layer of tragedy to an already troubling tale. Ada is a stark contrast to the pair and this, and Albie's delightful innocence cast a small element of light within the all consuming shadows of Berry & Vincent.
Readers are gradually drawn towards a stark, but perhaps inevitable conclusion, an overspilling of the obsession and depravity that we have seen building throughout the book. The scenes towards the end of the book are amongst the darkest of them all, none gratuitous in the way they are presented, but the author's mastery of language leaving a mark and certainly making you feel uncomfortable, but in a way which makes you want to read on rather than look away. The chapters are short but effective, alternating between Ada and Teddy's points of view, the author managing to keep the voices truly distinct. The exploration of personality, of the question mark placed over whether a person is born bad or becomes bad through circumstance, nature verses nurture as it were, is strong and perfectly framed. There is also that sense that environment is a key factor in the slow descent into a kind of madness that envelops one of the central characters in the book.
Be prepared to be surprised and enthralled by this book. There is a beautiful and lyrical nature to the prose that helps in not only bringing the setting to life, but in creating that pulsing tension that always beats just below the surface. It makes quite the impact while reading and stays with you long after that final page too. Definitely recommended.
January 10, 2023
I always find it a bit tricky facing these bleak early January days so what better than to imbibe a dark, powerful tale of obsession and mistrust?
So Pretty, the new novel by Ronnie Turner, takes us to the streets of Rye where the townspeople gossip behind newcomers' backs and families can vanish overnight...
Before reading this book, my Rye literary landscape was dominated by EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia books. You should be warned that So Pretty is NOT gentle, social comedy. Turner sets the tone from the outset, introducing both her main characters, Teddy and Ada, as subjects of hostile gossip.
Teddy attracts that by visiting the strange establishment Berry and Vincent - a junk shop that fairly exudes dark Gothicness - and then by taking a job there, working alongside the silent Mr Vincent (Berry is nowhere to be seen). Nothing good ever came out of Berry and Vincent - or went in there - seems to be the assumption.
Ada is disapproved of for other reasons - a young single mum, she doesn't really fit in, does she? And young Albie has a deformed ear - that must be her fault, surely? What did she do to cause it?
To be clear, both Ada and Teddy do have dark secrets.
Teddy has drifted, moving from place to place as his family background catches up with him. Why, at his mother's funeral, did ill-wishers gather to hurl eggs and rotten fruit fruit? Why, when he's located, do grown women turn up on his doorstep, dressed as schoolgirls? Who is Johnny Appletree?
Why did Ada's mum push her away, practically throwing her out of the house when she became pregnant?
In these chapters, told in the distinct voices of both Ada and Teddy, we learn the answers to those questions - on one level. In both cases it's a tale of twisted love, of abuse and control. Both have suffered from the actions of parents, whose motivations in turn raise questions about their own backgrounds. The book is imbued with an almost aromatic sense of taint, coming at the reader from all sides - from the creepy merchandise of that damnable shop, from hints of defect and sin carried in the blood, from bad examples and the sad, unwitting attempts of children to please their parents.
I lost count of the numbers of times that characters here pick at themselves, pinching off bits of skin or hair, scratching until lips, arms or neck bleed. It's a behaviour that almost seems catching, as do other mannerisms and tics, most sinisterly when children imitate parents or other adults, innocently recycling gestures and attitudes across the generations.
Through all this, that triangular relationship between Teddy, Ada and Mr Vincent is central, the power dymanics and intentions of each jarring with each other. Teddy senses a mystery to the vanished Berry family, and focusses on Vincent as a malign factor. Ada wants to know more about Teddy than the hints he drops. And Mr Vincent? Ah, Mr Vincent seems to know all the secrets - but he isn't talking, although Teddy can hear his old-fashioned typewriter tap, tap, tapping away upstairs.
Powerfully Gothic, the cramped and soiled location of the shop constrains all. As events there take a most threatening turn the town's gossip and obsession build, innocence is defiled, and history seems bound to repeat itself.
This is - and I mean this in a good way! - a book with a truly grotesque sense of evil. Not of a grand and majestic evil, but a bitty, quotidian evil, worked at and worked in and ingrained in the warp and weft of life, unable to be scrubbed away, understood or opposed. Even the dramatic conclusion of the book leaves concerns, little nuggets of doubt and worry that the story is not truly over.
A disturbing and powerful read.
So Pretty, the new novel by Ronnie Turner, takes us to the streets of Rye where the townspeople gossip behind newcomers' backs and families can vanish overnight...
Before reading this book, my Rye literary landscape was dominated by EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia books. You should be warned that So Pretty is NOT gentle, social comedy. Turner sets the tone from the outset, introducing both her main characters, Teddy and Ada, as subjects of hostile gossip.
Teddy attracts that by visiting the strange establishment Berry and Vincent - a junk shop that fairly exudes dark Gothicness - and then by taking a job there, working alongside the silent Mr Vincent (Berry is nowhere to be seen). Nothing good ever came out of Berry and Vincent - or went in there - seems to be the assumption.
Ada is disapproved of for other reasons - a young single mum, she doesn't really fit in, does she? And young Albie has a deformed ear - that must be her fault, surely? What did she do to cause it?
To be clear, both Ada and Teddy do have dark secrets.
Teddy has drifted, moving from place to place as his family background catches up with him. Why, at his mother's funeral, did ill-wishers gather to hurl eggs and rotten fruit fruit? Why, when he's located, do grown women turn up on his doorstep, dressed as schoolgirls? Who is Johnny Appletree?
Why did Ada's mum push her away, practically throwing her out of the house when she became pregnant?
In these chapters, told in the distinct voices of both Ada and Teddy, we learn the answers to those questions - on one level. In both cases it's a tale of twisted love, of abuse and control. Both have suffered from the actions of parents, whose motivations in turn raise questions about their own backgrounds. The book is imbued with an almost aromatic sense of taint, coming at the reader from all sides - from the creepy merchandise of that damnable shop, from hints of defect and sin carried in the blood, from bad examples and the sad, unwitting attempts of children to please their parents.
I lost count of the numbers of times that characters here pick at themselves, pinching off bits of skin or hair, scratching until lips, arms or neck bleed. It's a behaviour that almost seems catching, as do other mannerisms and tics, most sinisterly when children imitate parents or other adults, innocently recycling gestures and attitudes across the generations.
Through all this, that triangular relationship between Teddy, Ada and Mr Vincent is central, the power dymanics and intentions of each jarring with each other. Teddy senses a mystery to the vanished Berry family, and focusses on Vincent as a malign factor. Ada wants to know more about Teddy than the hints he drops. And Mr Vincent? Ah, Mr Vincent seems to know all the secrets - but he isn't talking, although Teddy can hear his old-fashioned typewriter tap, tap, tapping away upstairs.
Powerfully Gothic, the cramped and soiled location of the shop constrains all. As events there take a most threatening turn the town's gossip and obsession build, innocence is defiled, and history seems bound to repeat itself.
This is - and I mean this in a good way! - a book with a truly grotesque sense of evil. Not of a grand and majestic evil, but a bitty, quotidian evil, worked at and worked in and ingrained in the warp and weft of life, unable to be scrubbed away, understood or opposed. Even the dramatic conclusion of the book leaves concerns, little nuggets of doubt and worry that the story is not truly over.
A disturbing and powerful read.
June 7, 2023
I know many have enjoyed this book but I admit I didn’t love it. It’s a solid 3 stars but I wasn’t wowed. Yes it’s creepy and atmospheric. Yes there’s sinister characters that make your skin crawl. Add to that the final chapter which is unnerving. It’s a solid ending after all. But this book felt drawn out. It took a while to really interest me. I like in the Uk and have lived in small towns that are like this with their residents. It was very accurate the whole, ‘You don’t come from round ‘ere’ type mentality. But something felt missing with this story. I didn’t find Ada or Teddy (Feels odd writing that now - no spoilers) likeable characters. So when the story is told from their points of view and you don’t care for them it’s hard.
Many have loved this book so please look at their reviews. I think this is just a case of ‘it’s me not you’.
Many have loved this book so please look at their reviews. I think this is just a case of ‘it’s me not you’.
June 23, 2023
A disturbing read, both brutal and oddly compelling the descriptions, the characters, the grittiness and the darkness within the pages.
I felt this book. The whole time I was reading it, during a heatwave, I felt cold - I felt the coldness of Autumn along with the decay and loss that comes with it. This book wasn’t vibrant or bright, but nor was it dull and dejected. It was some kind of gothic, hypnotic middle ground that I couldn’t tear myself away from.
The best bit? Like with most gothic novels, the idea is to address the badness, the dark side of human nature. Ronnie Turner does this without seemingly batting an eyelid. She’s no afraid to point out the very darkest depths that people go to, and there’s absolutely no sugar-coating in any of the gritty chapters in this book.
I entered the shop in the early pages, and didn’t leave until I’d finished. Ronnie Turner is a word smith and has created a deeply disturbing novel that won’t let you go. I both loved and loathed it.
A melodramatic narrative set against a cold, isolating backdrop, the perfect gothic thrille
I felt this book. The whole time I was reading it, during a heatwave, I felt cold - I felt the coldness of Autumn along with the decay and loss that comes with it. This book wasn’t vibrant or bright, but nor was it dull and dejected. It was some kind of gothic, hypnotic middle ground that I couldn’t tear myself away from.
The best bit? Like with most gothic novels, the idea is to address the badness, the dark side of human nature. Ronnie Turner does this without seemingly batting an eyelid. She’s no afraid to point out the very darkest depths that people go to, and there’s absolutely no sugar-coating in any of the gritty chapters in this book.
I entered the shop in the early pages, and didn’t leave until I’d finished. Ronnie Turner is a word smith and has created a deeply disturbing novel that won’t let you go. I both loved and loathed it.
A melodramatic narrative set against a cold, isolating backdrop, the perfect gothic thrille
December 13, 2022
It's difficult to believe that the author of So Pretty is still in her early twenties. The power and beauty of the writing is just stunning. Her words, her plotting, her characterisation; they are all sublimely done, appearing effortless.
So Pretty feels like a mash-up of Royston Vassey from The League of Gentlemen, with a contemporary gothic horror feel, along with the claustrophobic feeling of Dickens, as the small, chillingly creepy shop and its inhabitants are described. It is flawless from beginning to end and will send chills down your spine as you read.
Rye is a small town with a small, insular community. It's the type of place where everyone knows everyone's business and newcomers are not trusted. Whilst both Terry and Ada have been welcomed by the community, on the surface, they are not locals. They both have their reasons for finding and settling in Rye, and both of them will do their best to hide those from their questioning neighbours.
Berry and Vincent is a small curio shop in the middle of town. It's a place avoided by people who have lived in Rye for years, the only trade being from a few tourists in the summer months. However, Terry is drawn to the shop and takes a job as an assistant to the owner, Mr Vincent. Every single person that he meets tells him that he's making a mistake, and to get out, as quickly as possible. Ada and her young son Albie are also attracted by Berry and Vincent, regularly visiting its dark corners and examining the odd wares on display.
It's not long before Ada and Teddy, the two newcomers become friendly, and this is just the beginning of a relationship that will take the reader into a bizarre and strange world. One of obsession and mental illness, of terror and cold, calculated events that become life threatening for those involved.
There's a a malignant feel throughout this story, a darkness that never lets up, yet the writing is incredibly beautiful, conjuring up images that will stay with the reader long after turning the final, and shocking final pages.
Dark, chilling, with a touch of genius. So Pretty is highly recommended by me.
So Pretty feels like a mash-up of Royston Vassey from The League of Gentlemen, with a contemporary gothic horror feel, along with the claustrophobic feeling of Dickens, as the small, chillingly creepy shop and its inhabitants are described. It is flawless from beginning to end and will send chills down your spine as you read.
Rye is a small town with a small, insular community. It's the type of place where everyone knows everyone's business and newcomers are not trusted. Whilst both Terry and Ada have been welcomed by the community, on the surface, they are not locals. They both have their reasons for finding and settling in Rye, and both of them will do their best to hide those from their questioning neighbours.
Berry and Vincent is a small curio shop in the middle of town. It's a place avoided by people who have lived in Rye for years, the only trade being from a few tourists in the summer months. However, Terry is drawn to the shop and takes a job as an assistant to the owner, Mr Vincent. Every single person that he meets tells him that he's making a mistake, and to get out, as quickly as possible. Ada and her young son Albie are also attracted by Berry and Vincent, regularly visiting its dark corners and examining the odd wares on display.
It's not long before Ada and Teddy, the two newcomers become friendly, and this is just the beginning of a relationship that will take the reader into a bizarre and strange world. One of obsession and mental illness, of terror and cold, calculated events that become life threatening for those involved.
There's a a malignant feel throughout this story, a darkness that never lets up, yet the writing is incredibly beautiful, conjuring up images that will stay with the reader long after turning the final, and shocking final pages.
Dark, chilling, with a touch of genius. So Pretty is highly recommended by me.
December 21, 2022
Oh My Goodness!!! What an amazing book this was. The author started with one thing then it gradually morphed into something so much darker than I ever expected, all in a very, very good way I must add.
This story is about two people and the chapters alternate between the two of them. Ada is a single mother and lives in Rye, never quite fitting into this small and clique-ridden village. She is always polite but always on the edge of things.
Teddy arrives and gets a job in an old curiosity/ knick-knack/ random things and objects shop. The owner is a bizarre man, to say the least, he doesn't speak, he hasn't interviewed Teddy and seems to lurk in the shadows.
It is natural that these two lonely people should meet and become friends. But there are warnings for Teddy about the shop and of things that may have happened in the past. Ada is aware that something has happened, she doesn't know the full story though.
This is a remarkable book to read, it is a story that feels frantic at times with the emotions of the characters tumbling across the pages. Then there are quieter, more considered and slower breathing spaces where the author describes this sinister shop and the curios within its doors and behind the windows.
The shop is one of those weird and wonderful places full of things you would expect to see in one of those old museums that is hidden on a back street somewhere. In fact, this place sort of reminded me of a curious and wonderfully bizarre museum I visited on holiday in Ilfracombe in Devon. A place where there are drawers of insects, jars of animal parts and yes even shrunken heads! For me, this book brought memories of some of the objects I had seen, but then the author so brilliantly added a dark and atmospheric air to her story. This at times felt incredibly creepy, sinister and macabre.
The way emotions of the characters and also the way she has made the shop a character in its own right are fabulous. There is a wonderful, almost lyrical way to her writing at times and this almost lulls the reader into a false sense of security.
The storyline itself,m well that is something that I didn't expect, well I say that, but I did have a feeling where things may go but definitely not to the extent they did.
This is a brilliant book and it is one that I adored from the first pages to the very last. A tense, mysterious thriller that had me hooked. An amazing book and one that I would absolutely recommend.
This story is about two people and the chapters alternate between the two of them. Ada is a single mother and lives in Rye, never quite fitting into this small and clique-ridden village. She is always polite but always on the edge of things.
Teddy arrives and gets a job in an old curiosity/ knick-knack/ random things and objects shop. The owner is a bizarre man, to say the least, he doesn't speak, he hasn't interviewed Teddy and seems to lurk in the shadows.
It is natural that these two lonely people should meet and become friends. But there are warnings for Teddy about the shop and of things that may have happened in the past. Ada is aware that something has happened, she doesn't know the full story though.
This is a remarkable book to read, it is a story that feels frantic at times with the emotions of the characters tumbling across the pages. Then there are quieter, more considered and slower breathing spaces where the author describes this sinister shop and the curios within its doors and behind the windows.
The shop is one of those weird and wonderful places full of things you would expect to see in one of those old museums that is hidden on a back street somewhere. In fact, this place sort of reminded me of a curious and wonderfully bizarre museum I visited on holiday in Ilfracombe in Devon. A place where there are drawers of insects, jars of animal parts and yes even shrunken heads! For me, this book brought memories of some of the objects I had seen, but then the author so brilliantly added a dark and atmospheric air to her story. This at times felt incredibly creepy, sinister and macabre.
The way emotions of the characters and also the way she has made the shop a character in its own right are fabulous. There is a wonderful, almost lyrical way to her writing at times and this almost lulls the reader into a false sense of security.
The storyline itself,m well that is something that I didn't expect, well I say that, but I did have a feeling where things may go but definitely not to the extent they did.
This is a brilliant book and it is one that I adored from the first pages to the very last. A tense, mysterious thriller that had me hooked. An amazing book and one that I would absolutely recommend.
January 19, 2023
This isn’t my first book by Ronnie Turner. A few years ago I read her debut thriller Lies Between Us so I was in no doubt as to how disturbing So Pretty might be.
When 33 year old Teddy Colne arrives in the town of Rye, he has a history that he tries to hide. A history by association that would make him a pariah so the antique and curiosity shop of Berry & Vincent would seem a perfect fit. For that too has a history, and not a good one. The shop is avoided by the townspeople, they don’t speak of it, they hurry past it in case it contaminates them and the creepy vibe is compounded by its owner, the silent Mr Vincent, who changes his window displays to shock and offend. Teddy however gets a job there as an assistant. At first he is intrigued but the more he delves into the history of the shop and its ownership, he becomes infatuated by it; and his own story and that of the shop consume him.
Single mum Ada is lonely. With only her young son Albie for company, she doesn’t really fit in and finds herself at worst ostracised and at best ignored by others. Like Teddy, Ada too keeps her past to herself. She wanders around Rye and although she is aware of the general feeling towards the shop, she is not scared but is pulled towards it and whilst Albie looks for something to play with, she looks for friendship.
Ronnie Turner’s writing seems to have matured since her debut of 2018. This unsettling story with its sinister undertone and atmospheric backdrop has short sharp sentences that have impact and the ability to shock. With its underlying themes of identity, obsession and secrets, both Ada and Teddy find themselves caught in a web of toxicity and darkness.
As the story progressed the tension increased. There were times when I was holding my breath and almost too worried to read on for fear of what was to come but also desperate to know. So Pretty is not an easy read, it is complex, dark and oh so chilling.
When 33 year old Teddy Colne arrives in the town of Rye, he has a history that he tries to hide. A history by association that would make him a pariah so the antique and curiosity shop of Berry & Vincent would seem a perfect fit. For that too has a history, and not a good one. The shop is avoided by the townspeople, they don’t speak of it, they hurry past it in case it contaminates them and the creepy vibe is compounded by its owner, the silent Mr Vincent, who changes his window displays to shock and offend. Teddy however gets a job there as an assistant. At first he is intrigued but the more he delves into the history of the shop and its ownership, he becomes infatuated by it; and his own story and that of the shop consume him.
Single mum Ada is lonely. With only her young son Albie for company, she doesn’t really fit in and finds herself at worst ostracised and at best ignored by others. Like Teddy, Ada too keeps her past to herself. She wanders around Rye and although she is aware of the general feeling towards the shop, she is not scared but is pulled towards it and whilst Albie looks for something to play with, she looks for friendship.
Ronnie Turner’s writing seems to have matured since her debut of 2018. This unsettling story with its sinister undertone and atmospheric backdrop has short sharp sentences that have impact and the ability to shock. With its underlying themes of identity, obsession and secrets, both Ada and Teddy find themselves caught in a web of toxicity and darkness.
As the story progressed the tension increased. There were times when I was holding my breath and almost too worried to read on for fear of what was to come but also desperate to know. So Pretty is not an easy read, it is complex, dark and oh so chilling.
January 18, 2023
Teddy Colne arrives in a small town of Rye and finds work as an assistant at Berry & Vincent’s antiques and curiosity shop.
The shop is owned by mysterious Mr Vincent, who never speaks, but always watches. The residents of Rye never dare to interact with Mr Vincent, they even give his shop a wide berth. How is the man funding his shop?
Ada Belling and her son Albie have been living in Rye for past two years. She is lonely as the community never truly accepted her.
Teddy is also lonely, trying to escape his past. He quickly becomes friends with Ada and her son. However, the friendship soon turns into something more sinister…
I LOVED this book. I found it deeply dark and unsettling with menacing characters throughout. From cruel Mr Vincent (who reminded me of Stephen King’s Leland Gaunt of Needless Things), disturbed Johnny Colne, to obsessive Teddy Colne. I even found Teddy’s mother a disturbing character.
This book slowly creeps up on you: it starts off relatively ‘normal’, and then it descends into a shocking tale of obsession with a hint of supernatural. Does the shop have menacing powers turning others into madmen (I am thinking of Jack Torrance in The Shining, another character by Stephen King), or were they always evil?
When I finished the book, I was reeling from its ending. It was shocking, horrifying, and it will certainly stay with me for a long time.
I know it’s only January but this book has been the best one I’ve read in 2023 to date.
The shop is owned by mysterious Mr Vincent, who never speaks, but always watches. The residents of Rye never dare to interact with Mr Vincent, they even give his shop a wide berth. How is the man funding his shop?
Ada Belling and her son Albie have been living in Rye for past two years. She is lonely as the community never truly accepted her.
Teddy is also lonely, trying to escape his past. He quickly becomes friends with Ada and her son. However, the friendship soon turns into something more sinister…
I LOVED this book. I found it deeply dark and unsettling with menacing characters throughout. From cruel Mr Vincent (who reminded me of Stephen King’s Leland Gaunt of Needless Things), disturbed Johnny Colne, to obsessive Teddy Colne. I even found Teddy’s mother a disturbing character.
This book slowly creeps up on you: it starts off relatively ‘normal’, and then it descends into a shocking tale of obsession with a hint of supernatural. Does the shop have menacing powers turning others into madmen (I am thinking of Jack Torrance in The Shining, another character by Stephen King), or were they always evil?
When I finished the book, I was reeling from its ending. It was shocking, horrifying, and it will certainly stay with me for a long time.
I know it’s only January but this book has been the best one I’ve read in 2023 to date.
January 8, 2023
𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲? 𝐀 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐠, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬?
So Pretty is a chilling novel, with the essence of Stephen King's Needful Things, but the horror haunts the cobbled streets of Rye. When Teddy rocks up to town, he's intrigued by the small, unusual shop run by Vincent, Ye Olde Antiques and Curios Shoppe.
What lies behind the doors of this unique shop strikes fear into the inhabitants of Rye, to the point that they hold their breath as they walk past. Vincent is the evil that possesses this small thorn of a store in Rye's side.
When Teddy becomes Vincent's shop assistant, many members of the community come out to warn him, but the warnings fall on deaf year.
The POVs of So Pretty begin to flick from that of Teddy to Ada, a woman who has moved to Rye with her young son. She knows no one until Teddy welcomes her to the town with open arms.
I absolutely lapped up So Pretty, it was sinister perfection, with elements of classic chilling novels, from the King of horror himself to John Fowles The Collector, with threads of gothic fiction. Although the nature of this book is dark AF, the writing is stunning.
I really enjoyed that there was an overlapping theme of humanity, identity, and evil flecked through the pages of So Pretty. Ronnie's writing is captivating and claustrophobic. The story clearly planned out to a T, which set for a perfect execution.
This is the first novel that I have read from Ronnie, her ability to draw in her reader and leave them GASPING for breath!
So Pretty is a chilling novel, with the essence of Stephen King's Needful Things, but the horror haunts the cobbled streets of Rye. When Teddy rocks up to town, he's intrigued by the small, unusual shop run by Vincent, Ye Olde Antiques and Curios Shoppe.
What lies behind the doors of this unique shop strikes fear into the inhabitants of Rye, to the point that they hold their breath as they walk past. Vincent is the evil that possesses this small thorn of a store in Rye's side.
When Teddy becomes Vincent's shop assistant, many members of the community come out to warn him, but the warnings fall on deaf year.
The POVs of So Pretty begin to flick from that of Teddy to Ada, a woman who has moved to Rye with her young son. She knows no one until Teddy welcomes her to the town with open arms.
I absolutely lapped up So Pretty, it was sinister perfection, with elements of classic chilling novels, from the King of horror himself to John Fowles The Collector, with threads of gothic fiction. Although the nature of this book is dark AF, the writing is stunning.
I really enjoyed that there was an overlapping theme of humanity, identity, and evil flecked through the pages of So Pretty. Ronnie's writing is captivating and claustrophobic. The story clearly planned out to a T, which set for a perfect execution.
This is the first novel that I have read from Ronnie, her ability to draw in her reader and leave them GASPING for breath!
January 21, 2023
4.5*
Two outsiders in a very odd community drawn together. A community that is full of hints about what has happened in the past but not many willing to share the whole story. A community that doesn’t like outsiders when they don’t quite fit in to their norm.
Both Ada and Teddy’s backstories made for dark reading adding to the ominous feel to this read. And Mr Vincent *shudder* that man just gave me the heebie jeebies! He reminded me of a super creepy mute cross between the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mr Burns from The Simpsons with a bit of Voldemort thrown into the mix!
If you’re expecting anything like Turner’s debut Lies Between Us, think again. So Pretty is much darker and perturbing than before. It’s a very unsettling read. I felt unnerved throughout. This is one mind f**kery kind of a book with the sinsterness (this will be a word) of its voyage. What starts as unassuming sinister thriller took me by surprise with a stunning shocking chain of events with an ending that left me slightly dumbstruck. I had to have a lay down in shock when I’d finished!
Two outsiders in a very odd community drawn together. A community that is full of hints about what has happened in the past but not many willing to share the whole story. A community that doesn’t like outsiders when they don’t quite fit in to their norm.
Both Ada and Teddy’s backstories made for dark reading adding to the ominous feel to this read. And Mr Vincent *shudder* that man just gave me the heebie jeebies! He reminded me of a super creepy mute cross between the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mr Burns from The Simpsons with a bit of Voldemort thrown into the mix!
If you’re expecting anything like Turner’s debut Lies Between Us, think again. So Pretty is much darker and perturbing than before. It’s a very unsettling read. I felt unnerved throughout. This is one mind f**kery kind of a book with the sinsterness (this will be a word) of its voyage. What starts as unassuming sinister thriller took me by surprise with a stunning shocking chain of events with an ending that left me slightly dumbstruck. I had to have a lay down in shock when I’d finished!
March 16, 2023
Teddy is constantly running from his past, so when he turns up in the small town of Rye, he is hoping this is the one place his past can’t come for him. He takes the job advertised in the small shop named Berry & Vincent heeding the locals warnings of the small old man who owns it, determined to find out for himself what happened there, and who is this Mr Vincent?
Another person running from her past is Ada, who has moved to the town with her small son Albie. Desperate and lonely, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Teddy - but at what cost? Soon his dark past will seep in to her life too, but at what cost?
I really don’t know where to start! I loved this book so much! Both Teddy and Ada are deep colourful characters in their own ways, and we learn more about each of them as the story progresses. I found myself screaming at the pages at some points! The innocence of her son Albie, and the way she’s determined to protect him at any cost really was a thing to behold. The bond they had was so clear - she would do anything for him. The mysterious Mr Vincent is one heck of a character too, you don’t know if you want to feel sorry for him, or immensely dislike him! I got the impression that Teddy saw himself and his mum in Ada and her son, which was why he took such an interest in them both. A very dark tale, scared the whits out of me and had real Norman Bates vibes. Beautifully written, I couldn’t stop reading it! Wonderful book!
Thank you so much Karen at Orenda for gifting me a copy of this book, I will definitely be reading this author again!
Another person running from her past is Ada, who has moved to the town with her small son Albie. Desperate and lonely, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Teddy - but at what cost? Soon his dark past will seep in to her life too, but at what cost?
I really don’t know where to start! I loved this book so much! Both Teddy and Ada are deep colourful characters in their own ways, and we learn more about each of them as the story progresses. I found myself screaming at the pages at some points! The innocence of her son Albie, and the way she’s determined to protect him at any cost really was a thing to behold. The bond they had was so clear - she would do anything for him. The mysterious Mr Vincent is one heck of a character too, you don’t know if you want to feel sorry for him, or immensely dislike him! I got the impression that Teddy saw himself and his mum in Ada and her son, which was why he took such an interest in them both. A very dark tale, scared the whits out of me and had real Norman Bates vibes. Beautifully written, I couldn’t stop reading it! Wonderful book!
Thank you so much Karen at Orenda for gifting me a copy of this book, I will definitely be reading this author again!
October 11, 2023
This is a book that explores the darker side of human nature and the atmosphere it creates is disturbing and filled with anticipation of an upcoming dread.
It is centred around a shop called Berry & Vincent in a small town, Rye.The shop has many curiosities within, the biggest one being the sole proprietor himself, Mr Vincent. Silently menacing and brooding, he's not liked by anyone and has dark secrets in his past that are whispered about.
In this mix are two lonely people with troubled pasts, Teddy and Ada. They are friendly to each other, desperate for company in the town that isolates them. Ada's little boy Albie is really endearing.
The small town setting is really important here, replete with whispers and rumours flying about as people speculate about the two new people and wonder at Teddy in particular for working in the shop that freaks them out.
The story went in a direction completely different to what I expected and the themes it explored were interesting. I liked the writing for the tension it created and sustained and the flawed characters it depicted very well.
It is centred around a shop called Berry & Vincent in a small town, Rye.The shop has many curiosities within, the biggest one being the sole proprietor himself, Mr Vincent. Silently menacing and brooding, he's not liked by anyone and has dark secrets in his past that are whispered about.
In this mix are two lonely people with troubled pasts, Teddy and Ada. They are friendly to each other, desperate for company in the town that isolates them. Ada's little boy Albie is really endearing.
The small town setting is really important here, replete with whispers and rumours flying about as people speculate about the two new people and wonder at Teddy in particular for working in the shop that freaks them out.
The story went in a direction completely different to what I expected and the themes it explored were interesting. I liked the writing for the tension it created and sustained and the flawed characters it depicted very well.
June 1, 2023
Hm... An interesting read.
Loved the whole atmosphere of the book, especially at the beginning. A small town, two "newcomers", and a shop that's been there for quite some time. Ada, 2 years here, and Teddy who's just arrived are trying to fit in, and find their peace, while running from the past and their parents shadows.
I found the writing style interesting, but the effective use of repetitive words was used by both narrators, Ada and Teddy, which if there were no chapter titles with their names would be difficult to tell apart.
I also found the transformation of Teddy sudden, and rushed, which is why this was a 4 star for me.
Loved the whole atmosphere of the book, especially at the beginning. A small town, two "newcomers", and a shop that's been there for quite some time. Ada, 2 years here, and Teddy who's just arrived are trying to fit in, and find their peace, while running from the past and their parents shadows.
I found the writing style interesting, but the effective use of repetitive words was used by both narrators, Ada and Teddy, which if there were no chapter titles with their names would be difficult to tell apart.
I also found the transformation of Teddy sudden, and rushed, which is why this was a 4 star for me.
March 13, 2023
So pretty by Ronnie Turner.
When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely to its proprietor risk a bad end.
Omg. A dark and chilling read. Couldn't put it down. 5*.
When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely to its proprietor risk a bad end.
Omg. A dark and chilling read. Couldn't put it down. 5*.
February 7, 2023
This is a phenomenal book written by a young Waterstones book seller. It has everything a good horror novel needs. Its creepy, very creepy, disturbing, dark and incredibly readable. It very much reminds me of the writing of Stephen King . At one point I thought I was reading King. The plot and characters are incredibly and cleverly written. I look forward to reading more from this young lady.
March 25, 2023
From one level of creepy to another. Unsettling yet unputdownable.
If they made a film of this I would not be able to watch it.
If they made a film of this I would not be able to watch it.
March 31, 2023
this felt like a fever dream
April 27, 2023
Such a bleak dark and threatening book, yet compulsive reading that left me shuddering.
July 6, 2024
4.5 stars
Fantastic, I really liked the poetic quality of the writing as well. Very chilling, especially the ending. I really liked the sense of place and atmosphere throughout, and the characters are really well defined.
I would have liked more explanation of what was going on with the possibly supernatural stuff but part of the strength of the book is that throughout it you aren't really sure what is going on. Well worth a read
Fantastic, I really liked the poetic quality of the writing as well. Very chilling, especially the ending. I really liked the sense of place and atmosphere throughout, and the characters are really well defined.
I would have liked more explanation of what was going on with the possibly supernatural stuff but part of the strength of the book is that throughout it you aren't really sure what is going on. Well worth a read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2025
I wouldn't call this gothic or thriller. It's about a creepy antique shop and two creepy perverse criminals. I completed the story but felt it took forever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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