"Baby Teeth", by Zoje Stage, was intriguing from start to finish. I was thrown off guard on a number of occasions. My anticipated ending was dead wrong! The character development of Mommy, Daddy and Hanna was superb. As the reader, I got to know each of them well. Did they surprise me? Yes. Did they disappoint me? At times, yes. Were they predictable? No, although at the midway point of the book I thought they were too predictable.

In general, I liked this book very much. The ending was not as strong as I'd have liked, but the storytelling was superb. Good job, Zoje!

I did not finish this book at 25%. I am a fan of Chelsea Cain and Jennifer Hillier, but the way this book was written - the language at times - did nothing but confuse me and make me re-read passages to try and comprehend. I did not finish at 25%. Thank you for the chance, and I hope to try more books by this author in the future.

Can children be born evil? In "Baby Teeth", Hanna is manipulative, mute, and showing signs of disturbing behavior. She's still very young despite that. While the family looks perfect on the outside, Hanna wants to kill her mother and her mother wants to help her daughter.

"Baby Teeth" will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. However, as someone who has read "We Need To Talk About Kevin" and "The Dinner", I was definitely interested in reading this admittedly strange sounding story. It's definitely a well written novel. I found some parts of it to be a little... iffy, for me atleast.

It's a good sized read that's entertaining but it didn't really manage to grip me in the way "We Need To Talk About Kevin" or "The Dinner" did. It's a pretty good debut novel but I found some parts of the plot to be boring and at some points, the different POVS just didn't connect for me. Overall, I'd say this a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy.

Everything I've been looking for in thriller/suspense novels.

All mothers and daughters have somewhat of a rivalry in their relationship at some point but.....This is nowhere near your typical mother/daughter relationship.

Suzette is a stay at home mom to Hannah which she finds to be very stressful. Hannah is the only child to her parents, she's mute and she LOVES her daddy NOT her mom. She despises her mother and secretly wishes that it could just be her and daddy.

Every single day, daddy leaves for work and his wife and daughter are home basically trying to tolerate each other. They both are at their wits end with each other. Someone has to go. Only one will be left standing - holding daddy's heart.

I had no expectations for this book. When I opened it, it was pretty much because of the cover. I happened to be very intrigued by it.

Anyway.. I loved it! I enjoyed getting to know all of these characters. This book is written in a way that the reader sees what the characters are doing but are also able to get to understand WHY they do some of these things. I feel like this made it really easy for me to empathize with them.

As a mom, I felt for Suzette's frustrations at times but then sometimes I felt she was being completely irrational. There were times I wanted to cry for Hannah... and there were several times I felt she was way out of hand. I found myself going back and forth a lot reading this. I didn't know which side to take.

This book was exciting, suspenseful, gripping, and at times it was down right frightening... I really enjoyed reading this and I wanted more even after I read the ending.

Don't let the sticky sweet cover of Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage fool you, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, with chills running up and down your spine. In this dual perspective novel, we get to watch a mother and daughter spin out of control and weave a web of deceit. I have to admit that the storytelling in this book was so good it creeped me out, the chapters that Hanna, the seven year old daughter narrated, gave me instant goosebumps.

Suzette and her family seem to have it all on the outside looking in, they are the perfectly average family. Their house is lovely, Suzette and her husband Alex's marriage is working, and they have an adorable daughter named Hanna. What people can't see is that although Hanna is mute, she's not the innocent little girl that she seems to be. She's in fact a danger to her mother, she wants her out of the picture so that she can have her father, her best friend, all to herself.

Alex doesn't see how evil Hanna can be, she stays home with her mother because she has a hard time fitting in at school, so Suzette gets the brunt of Hanna's terrorizing attitude all on her own. Which means no witnesses. From cutting her mothers hair, taking naked photos, dumping life changing medication down the drain and replacing it with flour, Hanna tries to sabotage her mother by making her sick and ugly- just so maybe she will finally go away.

Watching Suzette crumble under the stress with no one to believe her was enough to make me want to cry for her. I can only imagine the anxiety it would cause to be alone and scared of a person who you are supposed to love and protect. This book will pull you in and suck the life out of you. You'll want to save Suzette and make Hanna go far far away, but you'll also want to pull Hanna in for a big hug because, well, she's just a little girl...

This book was fascinating and frustrating all at the same time. All together it was an incredible story. It was frustrating because I wanted someone to help Suzette. I wanted her and Hanna to get the help that the needed, and felt like they were in this cyclone of despair that they couldn't get out of. All in all, I couldn't get these characters out of my head and that tells me this book was great. Getting to be inside Hanna's mind when she was explaining what she was doing and why was both terrifying and intriguing all at once. I definitely recommend this book for those who love thrillers, it's suspenseful and dramatic all in the right spots. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. The only reason it didn't get that last star was because the ending wasn't that great, it left me wanting more. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.

This has taken me considerably longer than usual to read, because it is so disturbing and the characters so awful. It is however a thought provoking, potentially controversial and well written book, and I’m glad I persisted to the end.

Seven year old Hanna is a monster who wants to kill her Mommy. Her parents, wealthy, trendy, artistic, seem to have it all - Swedish Alex is a successful architect and poor tortured Suzette has survived severe Crohn’s disease, the early loss of her father and terrible parenting from her emotionally withdrawn mother, to become the perfect modern organic thoughtful parent. So why does Hanna, who is voluntarily mute, hate her so much? This is told in alternating POV chapters between mother and daughter, and we learn how Hanna, super intelligent, has sabotaged all attempts to send her to school, and manipulated her father into believing she’s a little angel, while causing her mother to doubt her sanity. As the battle between them escalates, there is a real sense of dread as Hanna sees eliminating her mother as the only way to secure the undivided love of her father.

I can see why many people would hate this book. Superficially like “Kevin”, it tackles the ultimate taboo - admitting you don’t like your child. I have cats instead of children so this doesn’t bother me, but I still found Hanna’s machinations horrific (this is a horror story, no mistake). Alex and Suzette are terrible parents - selfish and self obsessed, only really interested in Hanna as a reflection of themselves. There is sex and swearing and some violence, although the threats are worse than the descriptions. I cannot say I enjoyed it, but I did think it was great, weakened only by the ending, which was left a bit open for my taste - it didn’t strike me as the kind of book which would get a sequel. So, read with caution (you should get an idea of whether this is for you from the reviews - follow your instincts rather than reading this to see what the fuss is about!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Some parents do not want to see the truth about their child. And then some do. This book reminded me of the movie ‘The Bad Seed.” It will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.

You know that horribly creepy feeling you get when you wake up and one of your children is right there staring at you? Yes, that one. That is how Suzette feels every second of every day. 

Hanna doesn't speak. She can speak. But she won't speak. Until she decides to, but only as a dead french witch and only to her mother and the things she says would have me dropping her off at the nearest mental hospital.

Books with children as the evil ones scare the living daylights out of me. Remember Children of the Corn?  Well this is one that will have you sleeping with one eye open!

Job well done!

NetGalley/July 17th 2018 by St Martin's Press

I always think that thrillers are best when you don't know much about them and don't try to anticipate where they are going, so I will start this review spoiler-free and then hide the more in-depth comments under spoiler tags. If you enjoy an unpredictable page-turner with a creepy kid and references to Swedish language and traditions, you may enjoy this book and find it a relatively quick read.
**Possible spoilers below**
[Okay, if you're still reading, you probably are leaning toward not reading this book, or maybe already read it, or perhaps you enjoy spoilers. In my honest opinion, this was a compelling book, but a bit much for me. I don't have a lot of experience with kids, but the main antagonist, Hanna, seems really manipulatively sophisticated for her age. It didn't entirely take me out of the story but a few times it went beyond my suspension of disbelief.

I also felt a bit frustrated as I got further into the book. This may be a petty gripe for a psychological thriller, because part of the fun is not knowing where the book is going. Nonetheless, I found it difficult to enjoy this book because we meet this family when the daughter Hanna is 7 years old and displaying psychotic behavior. Is she deranged? possessed by the devil? We know her parents aren't perfect but we have Hanna's point of view and the mother's point of view, but very little information about when this situation began to escalate to this point, and why Hanna refuses to talk. The author hints at the dysfunctional household through the mother's POV, but if I'm reading about a potential psychopath, I'd like to get a little deeper into the history and background of the characters than what we are given here. For me, that can make the difference that keeps me thinking about the book long after I've finished it. This one did not have that affect on me.]

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it! Learning about Hanna and what makes her tick along with the mother/daughter relationship was really interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. What can I say but very creepy. I don't understand the title. The book is about a couple with a mute child who has been home schooled. Attempts to put her into school have been unsuccessful. Gradually it appears the little girl is a demon child who wants to kill her mother. As I said, the book gave me the creeps.

Oh my goodness, this book was something else. Probably, one of the creepiest I have ever read. I like creepy, and crazy out there books. But, I had a hard time with this one. The writing was great, and I would definitely try the author again. I think for me, it was the age of the child, that threw me off. I personally have 4 kids, my youngest just turned 8. I can’t imagine a 7 year old doing those kind of things. I mean 7 years old just seems stretching it to me. I feel like she should have been a little older. Other then that if you really like these type of thrillers, I can see you loving.

The description appealed to me, but I found the actual reading a bit disturbing. Sort of 'Bad Seed' disturbing. Although the author provided a lot of foundation for why the parents weren't in better communication with each other (personal fears, oblivion, illness, etc.), I didn't feel their love for each other. As the book started, I actually found myself wondering if Hanna or Suzette was the crazy one. One minute I was feeling sorry for one and then flipping to the other. Not one of my favorites, but only because of the subject. The writing was fine and the concept well-developed. Just not my cup of tea.

Thanks to the author, publisher (St. Martins) and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

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I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I loved this book. No, it wasn't perfect, but it was tense, dark, and just a ride. It's The Omen meets We Need to Talk About Kevin, following Suzette, a somewhat fragile mother of a mute child, and Hanna, that child who isn't so mute and isn't so innocent.

I liked the chapters going from Suzette to Hanna, although it did take me out of the book during some Hanna chapters since the language or mentality was too adult. I enjoyed how selfish and petty Suzette could be, especially because it was realistic. She wasn't the perfect mother or a perfect person, but she was trying. The ending was perhaps too abrupt and maybe the author didn't know how to end it, but it did make me intrigued for a sequel.

The book was well written and a great debut. Thank you to NetGalley and I look forward to the author's next works. I hope Reese Witherspoon snatches this up for a miniseries adaptation!

Unfortunately, I only made it a couple chapters into this book. The main character, Hanna, was such an awful, spiteful child that I couldn't continue.

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review

Man, this was good. It's almost too good for that cheesy, 99-cent-ebook cover. This is actually a well done, three dimensional story about a family's response to a psychopathic child, no real twists but more character-driven, how we don't see what we don't want to see, why we would doubt what we know to be true, how victims of abuse tend to be re-abused. Didn't want it to end

I liked this. Wait. Maybe “like” isn’t the right term. But whatever. This book made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. Stayed up reading until 2 am - I have an infant, so sleep is a prized commodity. I couldn’t stop reading though, alternating back and forth between, “this can’t be happening” and “eeeeeeeeeeeee.” I think art is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable, and push your boundaries. That’s what makes it unique and powerful. I didn’t love this, I didn’t hate it either. The writing isn’t groundbreaking, you won’t have a spiritual awakening after reading this. Well, unless your kid is a psychopath. Then, I am so sorry, I can’t even imagine. This is art. This is creativity. This is a world flooded with stories that have been told and retold over and over. This is new, and maybe it’s not for you, but appreciate what the author is doing here, and think about the way it makes you feel. Why is that? Dig in. 👊🏼

Baby Teeth was EXCELLENT and unlike anything that I have read previously. Zoje Stage was exceptionally deft at creating a creepy story without it seeming farfetched or like some gruesome horror novel. I loved it! This is definitely an author to watch out for.

Baby Teeth is told from two perspectives, Hanna, the seven year old, mute daughter of Alex and Suzette. Hanna absolutely hates her mother and thinks of many devious ways to rid she and her father of the third member of their family. The second perspective is Suzette, the much hated mother of Hanna. Suzette battles Crohn’s disease and her scary little daughter daily who is always plotting her demise.

I have worked with children for close to 10 years who have various diagnoses and can be quite scary and often cunning, just like Hanna.

I wish the ending had packed more of punch but it was left perfectly for a sequel which I would definitely pick up and devour! Fingers crossed for another helping of Hanna and Suzette.

*** BIG thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of Baby Teeth in exchange for my honest review.

I guess I fall to nurture in the “nature vs nurture” discussion because I just couldn’t buy into the character of Hanna. We are expected to believe that a 7 year old was prescient enough as an infant to make the decision to never speak because she hated her mother but unhealthily adored her father. I got through about 10% of this novel before calling it quits. I guess I just can’t buy into the premise that a child could be this evil and manipulative at such a young age. It didn’t ring true to me and I quickly tired of page after page of pure hatred.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this advance copy, but I need to move on.

I enjoy reading thrillers. I love it when a book gets under my skin and I can’t stop thinking about it. When the publisher offered me the book through the widget and I read the synopsis, I thought “Sure, why not“. I figured that the book would be like John Saul’s books. Creepy kids who end up doing horrible things because they were possessed. For the first half of the book, it was that. Then it got creepy and got under my skin (not in a good way).

Baby Teeth’s plot is pretty straightforward. Hanna wants her Daddy to herself in the worse way. But to have that, her Mommy needs to go away. So Hanna starts a campaign to drive Suzette out of the house. When she realizes that isn’t working, Hanna decides that Mommy needs to go.

Suzette is stressed to the max. Taking care of a special needs child is a full-time job. She needs a break. But Hanna will not let that happen.

Alex is oblivious to what Hanna is doing and writes off Suzette’s complaints as petty. That is until something happens. What happened?? Read the book.

Hanna was so evil. The things she did to Suzette was awful. Like taking pictures of a naked, sleeping Suzette and putting that picture next to a dead woman. Or impersonating a long-dead witch. Or messing with Suzette’s Crohn’s medication. I was disturbed that a child could hate her mother that much and at such a young age.

Suzette did bother me for most of the book. I couldn’t understand why she didn’t record Hanna talking or even set up a nanny. It baffled me. Instead, she ranted and raved about how Hanna was doing this and doing that with no evidence. No wonder Alex was oblivious to what was going on. It wasn’t until the tack incident that he finally figured it out. Also, her attitude towards Hanna bothered me. She treated her like she was a burden for most of the book.

I mentioned in the first paragraph that I thought that this book was going to be like John Saul’s books. I did think that Hanna was possessed by the ghost of the witch. There was nothing that suggested otherwise. Until midway through the book. Then my mind was changed.

Like I said in the first paragraph, this book got under my skin. By the end of the book, I was disturbed by it. I have read reviews where people thought this book was fantastic. As a mother, I was disturbed by the lengths that a 7-year-old went through to try to kill her mother. I kept comparing this book to “Rosemary’s Baby” and other horror books that are similar. What made this book stand out from them was that it was raw and gritty and different from any other book in the thriller category.

There was not a happy ending to Baby Teeth. The implication in the last chapter was chilling and kept me up thinking about it the rest of the night.

I am not going to do a Pros/Cons of this book. I can’t do that without giving spoilers.

I would give Baby Teeth an Adult rating. There is sex, language, and violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are triggers in this book. They are abuse (of a parent by a child), PTSD like symptoms, and Crohn’s disease.

I am on the fence about recommending Baby Teeth to family and friends. I would have to make sure that they like thrillers and can deal with what this book is about. I would also include a warning about the triggers. I am on the fence about rereading this book too.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Baby Teeth.

All opinions stated in this review of Baby Teeth are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**