Talk about birth control!

This book is about Suzette and Hanna, mother and daughter who both aren't having the family experience they envisioned. Suzette suffers from Crohn's disease and still remembers the challenges that brought, along with a mother who often felt unloving and left Suzette wanting to give her daughter more. Hanna, however, hasn't proved to want what Suzette wants to give. Hanna hasn't spoken, and at 7 years old still refuses to do so. There's nothing wrong with her - so the doctors say - but Hanna still won't do it. She causes trouble at school so she's been kicked out, and Suzette can barely deal with her days of torture with Hanna. Alex - husband and father - has no idea about these inner workings of the relationship between the two. He comes home to an angelic Hanna, not the one who makes Suzette's life a misery.

The novel switches between Suzette's POV and Hanna's POV, giving insight into Hanna's thoughts. It was a great way to build up her character, since there is no dialogue between her and anyone else. It was also interesting to read about a child who just blatantly wants her mom out of the picture - at whatever cost. It freaked me out and intrigued me all in one.

There were some slow parts in the book, where the action was building but not much was happening. I would have liked some of it to move faster, but overall I did enjoy this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6854277-lori?shelf=read

Will review on Amazon on pub date.

Oh my gosh!! So creepy. I read it in two days, couldn't put it down!! I have never read another book like it and was very intrigued. I just kept thinking, what would I do in this situation?! You never know what your child will turn out to be and this book plays on that very well. The author did a fantastic job of pulling the reader in and getting them hooked! You get so excited to get to Hannah's part and see what is next. My only complaint: there waa definitively some usless babble going on. I skipped paragraphs at a time that didn't seem pertinent. She distinguished her illness and her relationship with her mother while but then kept going on and on about it. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this book, in fact...I already have!

I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the opportunity!

“Baby Teeth” follows the lives of Suzette, Alex, and their daughter Hanna. The book is split into two perspectives: Suzette’s and Hanna’s. With Suzette’s chapters, we learn about the relationship between Suzette and her daughter. With Hanna’s chapters, we see the inner workings of Hanna’s mind, uncovering her desires and plans.

Wow.

“Baby Teeth” was one of the most disturbing books I have read in a long time. Any time an author uses a child to instill fear, the effect is magnified because we know that children are supposed to be innocents. In this case, it’s clear than Hanna is remarkably intelligent, manipulative and dangerous. She’s the anti-child. Through much of the novel, Suzette is reluctant to accept the depth of her child’s depravity, which leaves her open to more torment. Alex is in denial, and Hanna manipulates him at every opportunity. It’s truly frightening to think that a child could be capable of such horrors.

As the book progressed, it became even more apparent that Hanna was going to kill her mother if no one intervened. I was captivated by the dynamics within the family, and I was amazed by how far the story went. When I eventually arrived at the ending, I was left feeling fearful for the future of this family. The threat of future violence and manipulation was tangible.

Zoje Stage truly delivered. I appreciated the author’s treatment of Suzette in respect to her Crohn’s disease. I always enjoy meeting characters that have real-life problems, so getting to know Suzette through her medical pains added an edge to the story, and it also made her a more sympathetic character. Additionally, Stage’s writing drew me in and made me feel fearful and anxious. I loved that she told the story with alternating perspectives that allowed us to really understand the depths of what was happening in this family. For lovers of dark dramas, “Baby Teeth” will satisfy.

For some reason I had a very hard time becoming interested in this book, truth be told I didn't even finish it. The young girl almost scared me a bit honestly. The one positive is that there are very intense characters and you could really go down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what is going on inside of these character's heads. Unfortunately it was just a bit too odd for me and i did not finish. I was not able to connect with the characters and that is one of my biggest reasons why I love books so much, to connect.

I enjoyed reading this, but I didn't want to enjoy it, if that makes sense. The little girl was definitely creepy and I had to find out what was going to happen next, but I also felt bad for enjoying something that seemed written just for shock value. This wasn't an examination of how society should handle sociopaths or mentally ill children but rather just a novel full of awful events. I almost felt guilty for wanting to keep reading. It was definitely well written; there were no problems with the book there. I think this is more of just a personal hang-up than an issue with the actual book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

This book is, well, interesting to say the very least. As you can read in the blurb, this book is about a seven year old girl who is plotting to kill her mother. I did think this book was very well-written however Hanna’s voice didn’t really ring all that true for a 7 year old- she sounded much older. I agree with a lot of other reviewers that the story would have worked a lot better had Hanna been a bit older.

Also, this story requires some suspension of disbelief. The parents really waited this long to seek psychiatric care for Hanna? The father really didn’t ever believe what his wife said? It was a good story and a page turner but not my favorite.

Unfortunately, this ended up being a DNF at 45%, and I never DNF. The writing was brilliantly done, but the subject matter was just not something that I was comfortable reading, especially since I have a 7-year-old daughter of my own. The subject matter was just much more unsettling and horrifying than I anticipated. I do believe as an English Lit professor who has taught creative writing and writing fiction that Zoje Stage has a tremendous talent and will do very well with this book and in the future...I'm likely in the minority with my opinion.

As always, thank you St. Martin's Press for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

Hanna is a sweet, bubbly girl, but only in the eyes of her father. Her mother, Suzette, sees how Hanna acts all the time. Suzette sees how manipulative her daughter could be and just how problematic things could be for their family.

Baby Teeth is told from two POVs, Hanna's and Suzette's. Throughout Hanna's, we get to see her thought process which was interesting and terrifying at the same time. However, while her POV was my preferred POV, I do think some of the thrill was taken away by getting her thought process. Too much was revealed during her parts that left Suzette's parts a little dull.

Okay, not a little dull. Suzette's parts were just dull. Her POV was not fun and there were some that were really a struggle to get through.

I was also disappointed with the ending. I felt the story was building up to this ending and then there was a climax (not a good one in my opinion) and then there was still a good portion of the book that really caused it to plateau which because left me feeling that this was building up and then left me with absolutely nothing.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, this one was not for me.

This story is disturbing and intentionally so--it's written like a horror movie. There's pleasure in the thrill of it, but because of that this book won't suit everyone. Hanna is a little girl who loves her Daddy, and hates her Mother. After Hanna has to be homeschooled, everything unravels from there...

The manipulation Hanna displays over both of her parents is frightening. As the plot unfolds, Hanna gets more and more manipulative, Suzette fears for her life (rightfully so), and Alex aka Daddy is clueless (albeit due to his own ignorance). Perhaps there's some authorial manipulation towards the end as the reader is primed to feel more sympathetic towards Hanna. I was hoping for a little more redemption, for the whole family, not just Hanna, in the end.

It's a tense read, well-written, but just awful subject matter.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was really creepy... I thought that I had problems with my kids... nope.. nothing compared to this. People are right ... you cannot put this book down.. I wanted to finish it because I wanted to know where this was going. But the thought process for a seven year old is disturbing. The way that she described as intimate act between 2 people was again disturbing.

The characters were superficial, the story line was alright. but again... it is a page turner.

The first word that comes to mind when I think of this book is CREEPY! Told from alternating points of view, the reader gets insights into Hanna’s mental illness and her mother, Suzette’s, frustration with Hanna and she becomes more and more disturbed.

Hanna wants mommy Suzette out of the way so that she can have daddy Alex all to herself. On the surface, it seems like a normal childhood phase, but Hanna is much more intelligent than she lets on. She researches, schemes, and does whatever she can to get her mother out of the picture, but only when they’re alone. Alex (and everyone else) can’t figure out who the crazy one is!

The reason I found this book to be so creepy is that there are so many illnesses that can remain untreated and put people in danger. Both Suzette and Hanna have experiencedfirst-hand what untreated illness can do to the body and the mind, and when something is happening so deep inside, how hard to you have to work to make sure others know you’re truly suffering? What happens when no one believes you?

So this book is very creepy not in a scary creepy but as in a mind messing way. Hannah is one smart little 7 year old girl. She is also very manipulative and doesn't speak. This child makes me glad I never had children. Suzette I would say also needs help with a therapist. This book is hard to describe without giving so much away. I would say that Alex and Suzette are both selfish people though maybe not to the outside world. Hannah needs to be locked away for all time. I really am interested to see if there will be another book after this one. This book leaves you wanting so much more of this story.

This was OK - pretty predictable and I feel like the story line has been done many times before.

Baby Teeth had a good premise and some good spooky moments but I found that wanted it to be more consistently scarier/creepier with more thrills and chills. I also had a hard time liking all of the main characters--both parents & the 'evil' child. In fact, I wanted to smack all of them most of the time.

The story did keep me intrigued however and it kept turning the pages, I do love books featuring evil or creepy children, and Hanna is certainly creepy and a good example of a bad seed. I liked the way it ended too, so overall it's a like and I'd read more from this author.

This novel is described as a thriller. I think it would be better categorized as horror. It’s told from the point of view of an exasperated stay-at-home mom, Suzette, and her seven-year=old daughter, Hannah. Hannah refuses to speak. When Dad is home, she is smiley and delightful. When he’s at work, she does her best to make her mom’s life a living hell. When Suzette tries to enroll her first in preschool, then kindergarten, then first grade, Hannah snarls at teachers and starts fires and hurts other children. Suzette has no choice but to do her best to home school her. She has battled debilitating health issues of her own since high school and having this out-of-control child is not helping her physical or mental health.

This is not a fun read. It’s gripping, but it’s really hard for me to imagine a child who hates her mother so much. I’ve read stories of kids who are physically and emotionally abused by a parent, and still the kid professes love for his or her parent. So to have a child so young purposely trying to do anything she can to destroy a non-abusive mother is extremely foreign to me.

This book is well written. It’s a tense, disturbing read. So, if you’re in the mood for that, you might enjoy this.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES JULY 17, 2018.

Probably one of the CREEPIEST WTFruit books I have read in years...
There is definite cause to pause and ponder nature verses nurture in helping a child to grow.
Suzette is an adoring wife and mother who also lives with an autoimmune disorder. Alex is her workaholic husband who is blind to what their 7 year old daughter Hanna is doing. How do you explain to your husband your daughter who will not talk is slowly tearing you apart? How as a husband do you NOT try to see and understand more? How as a daughter can you play your parents like that? Soo many questions and soo many creepy weird moments. I

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is one of the most magical books I've read in a long time. The author's ability to look at ordinary things in an everyday world with imagination, and from the perspective of a little girl locked in her inner world of elective mutism, is breathtaking. Have you ever wondered what someone was thinking? Be careful what you wish for! The secret life of Hanna, a precocious and seemingly sweet little girl to everyone but her mom and her teachers, is told through chapters that switch between her mother's fearful misgivings, and Hanna's inner dialogue. Without giving away too much, we see Hanna's dad thoroughly manipulated by Hanna as he becomes almost a co-conspirator in what Hanna has planned next. Because the little girl can't (or won't) talk, her thoughts are open to interpretation. Without a doubt, if I was Hanna's mom I would sleep with the lights on and the door firmly locked.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own. 

This book was creepy. It was beyond creepy, and I was perfectly okay with that. I am a huge fan of thrillers, horror, and suspense, so this book was right up my alley. It gave off Orphan vibes but was even more disturbing than that movie. 

Hanna is a scary child. The way in which she thinks and her intelligence makes her much more dangerous than the average child. She knows how to manipulate and connive. Her character left me terrified for Suzette during the entire novel. I also hated (in the best way) how she knew she could pit her parents against each other. 

I am fascinated by children that are different than their average counter parts, and this novel delivered. I enjoyed the entire story and how creepy it was. I don't think I'll stop thinking about this for a while to come. 

I hope you'll consider checking this out on July, 17, when it releases. I do recommend this for people who love horror movies and are use to the content that is in them (language, sexual scenes, violence).

First, let’s talk about Hanna. Seven years old, thinks the sun shines out of her daddy, wants to kill her mommy so she and her daddy can live happily ever after, and has summoned a seventeenth century witch to help with the process.

Suzette. Suffering from Crohn’s disease, has had several surgeries and horrible aftereffects, and is the target of Hanna’s psychopathic behaviors. Very insecure because of her upbringing and her illness, and wants the world to see her as a good mother.

Alex. Loves his “lilla gumman,” but is troubled that Hanna won’t talk. Thinks Suzette is over-reacting to Hanna’s actions because he only sees the sweet Hanna who adores him. Doesn’t believe what’s happening until Hanna makes a blatant homicidal attempt at Suzette.

Hanna is smart, no question. She sabotages every school she’s been sent to, she barks like a dog, she manipulates nearly every situation, and she actively hurts others, with everything leading towards her goal of being able to stay at home with Daddy. Even though she’s selectively non-verbal, she manages to communicate quite well about her likes and dislikes, and her active hatred of Suzette. Alex and Suzette have tried almost everything to get Hanna the help she needs, and she always ends up back at home, tormenting Suzette in one way or another.

This is an interesting story, not scary in the horror sense, but definitely creepy. If you believe seven year olds can be full blown psychopaths, this is a story for you. Otherwise, suspend your disbelief and prepare to be horrified by Hanna’s intelligence and determination to get exactly what she wants from her frightened parents.