I love a good creepy child story, so there was a lot I liked about this book--the fascinating horror of seeing inside Hanna's mind, and her mother's desperation at being left alone with her daily, unable to make her husband see what Hanna is really like. But in a lot of ways, the reading experience was not really very pleasant for me--it just made me feel so damn anxious, to the point where I had to peek at the end to see whether it would get as bad as I feared. I do like books that evoke feelings of anxiety, fear, etc in me, but this one crossed a line into an unpleasant experience at certain points. I did enjoy it enough to give it 3 stars, despite the things I didn't like. I would recommend it to anyone who is fascinated by reading about creepy/evil children.

First, I want to thank Zoje Stage, St. Martin’s New York and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage had me very interested in this for many different reasons. First off the author mentioned she worked part time at the Monroe County Library in Rochester, NY where she started writing novels. I used to live in Rochester, NY and frequented that library. Learning this about the author made me more intrigued to read the book.
Hannah was a very unique character one which I had never experienced before in any other book. At first you feel sorry for the sweet girl because she mute. But as the story goes on she is not that sweet and innocent girl you think she is.
Suzette the Mom pulled on my heart strings a little bit. Hannah did not give her Mom the easiest time when she would homeschool her. Plus, the stress was not good on Suzette’s Chrohns disorder.
Alex the father was caught in the middle of both his wife and his daughter whom he loved dearly.
If you like mystery, thrillers, twists and turns this is the book for you!!

Woooooow. That was so freaking disturbing but in all the right ways. There were times that I almost felt like I needed to put the book down because it was messing with my head so badly but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading.

Brilliant plot. I dragged it out on purpose to keep the drama unfolding. I hated to finish. It didn't seem things could get worse with this girl, but inevitably they did. You will love the characters. I can't give this book enough stars. If you want a nail biting thrill ride with a creepy as hell ending, you will adore it.

This book is terrifying.

its not terrifying in its scary kind of way, its terrifying because Hanna has no remorse no empathy for what she does to her mom or other people she actually finds joy in making people suffer thats what truly terrifying

Zoje Stage you did a wonderful job on writing this amazing terrifying story

Loved it ,great story of a complex and frightening dynamic between mother and daughter ,can see how they got there as the mother has had a difficult childhood herself and is beset with the burden of her condition
The daughter is frightening ,her throught process very much of a sociopathic Nature
They are both competitive though and the mum shd know better but u do feel for her and being home all day with thise tantrums an u cd do nothing but take it personally ,the daughter is a one for divide and conqour ,the father didn’t do enough in my humble and was weak though does try just us t enough and he spends a lot of time in denial ,he does though support his wife just not as soon as cd have
I suspect it may be aloooong time if ever that they give up their new found freedom and the daughter may well be left to fend for herself and about time too in some ways ,she is dangerous. though none of the characters terms are very likeable I did have more understanding for the mother than I thought I wd as can’t imajine how hellish life at their house wd be
Creepy scary and a great enjoyable read
Thanks netgalley and publishers for letting me read this novel

I was fascinated by the premise of this book and couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. :D Unfortunately I couldn't sympathize with the mother or really any of the characters. I suppose it works well on the level that the reader gets no easy answers. Suzette is clearly not a good mother, but does she deserve the level of wrath Hanna exhibits over and over again? Creepy and engrossing. A must-read for horror/psych thriller fans.

Baby Teeth is a "psychological" thriller focusing on a dysfunctional family and their child with disturbing behavior. Alex, the father, does not want to see or believe that his daughter has behavioral problems. His daughter behaves around him, she is loving and, although she does not speak, she has her own way of communicating with him. Suzette, the Mother, is homeschooling her daughter while dealing with the symptoms of her Crohn's disease. Suzette is the target or her daughter, Hanna’s, "bad" behaviors. Hanna begins to speak to her Mother and really wants her father all to herself. She is clever, manipulative, and unwilling to speak. She does not like going to traditional schools and engages in behaviors which result in her leaving the traditional school environment.

This book is told through POV chapters titled "Suzette" or "Hanna” The reader gets a glimpse into the mind of each. Hanna is the proverbial "bad" seed who acts out and has behaviors which get her into all kinds of trouble. Although she is seven years old, she had thoughts and actions, I would associate with a much older child. While reading the book, I kept waiting for the light bulb to go off over Alex's head and for him to finally "see the light". Suzette, being the target of most of her daughter's bad behaviors, struggles with feelings ranging from wanting to help her daughter, fearing her child, and wanting to not have to deal with her child anymore.

For me this book was good not great. I thought of the movie, "The Good Son" while reading this book. Hanna has "evil" thoughts and is perhaps mentally ill. I won’t say more about the family or their family dynamic. Hanna is creepy, and this book is a fast read but most of the actions felt "gratuitous" and there for shock value to move the story along. There are a lot of negative behaviors, actions and thoughts in this book that it almost became too much. As characters spiraled out of control, the pace picked up but again things just felt gratuitous. Some may also be turned off by the way the Suzette speaks to her child. I would describe this book as good not great. For me there was something missing. Initially I really enjoyed the book but as I read more, I felt a disconnect but still wanted to know how the book was going to end. There was a battle going on and I wanted to see who won - even though no one really wins in these situations.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a long time since I've really struggled with how to review a book, but that's where I am at with Zoje Stage's Baby Teeth. I often debate how much weight good writing should get over the story and plot. Sometimes books sell because they have an explosive ending or outrageous plot with sub par writing. This book was quite the opposite. Stage's writing is quite polished, but the story line was so troubling that I felt torn between giving it 4 stars for writing and 1 star for plot. All that being said, you'll probably be turning the pages on this book because you want to know what happens at the end (because the story is so outrageous).

So what to make of this book? The plot involves Hanna, who is a 7 year old girl and daughter to mother Suzette and Swedish father Alex. Suzette is a full-time stay at home mother, partially due to having painful complications and a weakened immune system related to Crohn's disease. Alex is Swedish and works full-time as a successful developer and architect. On the outside, everything about their life seems perfect: that is, until we meet Hanna.

The novel is told from the perspectives of Suzette and Hanna. Suzette is tired from homeschooling Hanna, who, the reader is told, is mute by choice. Hanna has been kicked out of every school in which her parents have enrolled her, so Suzette homeschools her. Hanna is defiant, jealous, and manipulative. She despises her mother, and adores her father. There is a very unsettling Electra Complex taking place here, with Alex tending to Hanna's every whim and desire as soon as he gets home from work at night. Is there something inappropriate going on with Alex and Hanna? What is causing Hanna to have outbursts, to treat her mother as a competitor rather than the daunting mother she is? 

I have two kids who are 6 and 8, and I highly doubted Hanna's terrifying behavior. Could a 7 year old cut up someone's pills in the middle of the night and fill them with flour to poison them? I don't think 7 year olds even harness that kind of dexterity. Could a 7 year old plot to kill their mother? Would a 7 year old set fire to a school trash can by bringing matches from their family home? Maybe there are 7 year olds out there like this, but I highly doubt it. Even the most gifted kid would not have some of the language that was going on inside the head of "Hanna." 

There are also moments in the book that are just plain bizarre. I won't spoil them here, but there are things her father allows Hanna to get away with that border on seriously abusive and inappropriate parenting. I also find it hard to believe that two well educated parents would wait until a child is 7 years old to invest significant time and money in therapy, especially a child who has been so behaviorally off. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, the author, Zoje Stage, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy of this book.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley. I was actually really interested in this one, but it was a fair bit of work to finish. I really (really!) did not like the mother. At all. There is history here with her mother, supposedly affecting how she mothers, but beyond the Crohn's disease and related complications, it was maybe too subtle for me to understand how it motivated her choices in raising her little girl. I get the frustrations of an oppositionally defiant child, I get dealing with a child who seems to loathe you, and how that could harden you a bit, make you give up, but... there just didn't seem to be an ounce of love there. Hanna seemed stronger, mentally and physically, than a child her age, so that didn't mesh for me either. Ultimately unsatisfying.

THIS BOOK. Oh my goodness. If I didn't already have kids, this book might scare me off having any! Zoje sets the stage perfectly in this thriller about Alex, e Swedish husband and doting father; Suzette, homeschooling mom who suffers with Crohn's disease; and Hanna, hands down the most disturbing 7 year old you will ever meet.

This book was so atmospheric and creepy that it gave me the chills! I couldn't stop reading, wondering what diabolical plot Hanna would come up with next. As the family unravels more and more, I was left turning the pages, breathless to the end and wondering how it would end. Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller!

The book was fast paced and intriguing and I raced to the end, but after I was done it left me feeling yucky. This was billed as a book for those who like We Need To Talk About Kevin, which I really enjoyed but this felt much different - more gratuitous. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book early. I know many will like it, however it wasn't for me.

Hanna doesn't like Mommy very much, because Mommy interferes with Hanna's relationship with Daddy. So begins Baby Teeth, and the descent into madness that a mentally ill child causes within the family. This is truly a creepy book! Told from alternating viewpoints of mother and child, it's a harrowing ride all the way to its disturbing conclusion. My only complaint with the ebook was in several places I found a lack of continuity, perhaps a paragraph was missing evidenced by the scene abruptly changing. Maybe a formatting issue.

READ THIS REVIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK.... SPOILERS +SPOILERS +SPOILERS...
HOWEVER... I QUIT! I’m throwing in the towel. I’ve read enough...stopping at 41% on my Kindle copy.
I appreciate the widget-offering from the publisher — but for me— I CAN’T compare this book to “The Dinner” ....or “We Need To Talk About Kevin”....Both of those two other books had a different quality and purpose IMO....
THIS BOOK seems to me - to be an intentionally disturbing novel - for the pure pleasure of the thrill. It’s ugly and non-inspiring. It ‘is’........absorbing.....but I’m not proud of myself reading it.
I choose to stop this nonsense- I don’t want to be a stand for books where children are evil — for the sake of psychological pleasure reading.
Even without finishing this book - I can already see the author isn’t accomplishing any attempts to portray what might lead a child to kill —- such as Lionel Shriver did in “We Need To Talk About Kevin”. It’s bumblegum chewing for the sake of chewing mindlessly. I’m not a fan— but many readers probably will be:

HERE’S MY REVIEW.... all little Excepts..... NOTE: I DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS BOOK ENDS - perhaps a girlfriend will tell me later - save me the reading time - so that I can move on to a book that is a better fit for me.....

Lots of SAMPLES to get a TASTE of what you’re in for if you choose to read this novel:
Mom says:
“She never liked me. No, that’s not true. When she was a baby…Suzette knew she was oversharing, but the words spelled out. But at some point the war began. And I’m losing. I’m losing it. And I can’t tell my husband, I try but…He doesn’t see it. And where would I be? I’m supposed to be a good mom, the mom I never had, that’s what I wanted. That’s what I promised him, what I promised myself”.

Mom says:
“ I thought everything would get better. Kindergarten. But she didn’t talk. That’s how it all started. We tried doctors, there’s nothing physically wrong. But every place I’ve tried to enroll her, and every babysitter, it’s like she wants to torture— just me”.

Dad says:
“How’s my squirrely girl?” ...... Providing optimistic perky happiness of possibilities? —- sure ..... deny deny deny.... no problems with his little angle —- HANNA LOVES DADDY! I’m guessing ‘Daddy’ will face up to the problems pretty soon....but for now - he prefers to deny them.

Hanna says: .....Thinking to herself
“It remained disappointing that Daddy hadn’t let mommy wither and die when he had a chance”. ( note.. Hanna saw her parents having sex - she was hoping with dad on top mom would kill her). Oh well!
“As Hanna grew stronger she could take it advantage of Mommy’s weakness. Could mommy die if cleaning too much – – could she scrubbed to death? And
Mommy needed a lot of medication. If something bad happened to her medicine, would something bad happen to mommy?”
“Or maybe...Mommy was always fussing about how she looked, and she glowed whenever Daddy said she was beautiful.”
“Maybe If Mommy was uglier”
“Maybe Daddy wouldn’t love her as much”.

CHARMING HANNA...
“She stuffed a grape in her mouth, a strawberry, a cheese cube, another cheese cube, another grape. And made a show at chewing, chewing.”
“When it was a nice mushy consistency, Hanna got up on her knees and spit the whole glob in Mommy’s face. It struck her cheek, then started to dribble down. Hanna giggled”.

CHARMING MOM.....
“Mommy scooped the mash from her face. For a second Hanna thought she might cry. But Mommy got up and came around and forced the glob back into Hanna’s mouth.” She held her hand there, making it so Hanna couldn’t open her lips.
She couldn’t spit anything back out, but she could are so barely breathe.
“CHEW”.

Yuck!!!

1/2 STAR rating.

Thank You Netgalley— St. Martin’s who I always appreciate- ( I’m so sorry - this book just wasn’t healthy for my soul), and Zoje Stage... there is not much I can’t hear - but I’m sorry - I just didn’t want to read any more. The scenes you picked to write for the child - the language from the mom - I just didn’t feel well reading your book.
But - good luck to you - I think many people actually gobble your novel up.

I wanted to love this book sadly I didn't. The author has great writing style and a great plot I just hated the Mother. She was so self centered and ridiculous I wanted to kill her. Truly annoying.

I read this book over two days. It was incredible, nerve wracking, and scary beyond measure. I loved it and couldn't put it down. I'm so glad I got the pleasure of reading it.

I received a copy through Netgalley.

Whoa this is a horror psychological thriller in a book.The authors theater/filmmaker comes through in the story.The amount of detail comes through in a show not tell sort of way while actually being told.

Hanna is a cute little girl who has a dark side.This is one scary child and seeing here perspective makes it even more chilling.

Suzette is a stay-at-home and homeschooling mother who is at her whits end.She has chronic health issues and a dysfunctional childhood in her past.Her daughter goes after her alone so her husband doesn't see any of it.

I highly recommend this one.

I don't think I've ever read a book where I didn't have a favorite character... Who side does one root for when both sides are crazy??... I can't imagine what will happen next but I can't wait to see,....

God it’s books like this that make me never want to have children I just can’t get over how creepy this story was!

I think it’s to the credit of the author to tell this story in two alternating point of views split between Suzette and her daughter Hanna because we get to see how one not only views the other, but we see their reactions, motivations and inner workings both for and against each other. It also showed just how similar the two were in terms of them both commenting on the masks the other wore in public or around Alex the father and husband who took forever to finally come around and see that his wife wasn’t crazy and his perfect daughter was anything but.

I enjoyed reading both sections but it was fascinating to see this sort of push and pull between both narratives where one was heavily influenced by imaginative language and perception while the other was rooted in more of a scientific type way where the solution was the complete opposite of magic with the medical community on her side and the hunt for an actual diagnosis. And learning about Suzette’s upbringing with a medical condition her mother didn’t care about and the neglectful childhood she endured it was easy to see why she would be looking for something to help her daughter and the frustration of not only failing but having a husband who was so used to being the good guy he downplayed her emotions until it was too late to ignore.

Forget clowns and spiders nothing in the world is scarier than a sweet looking kid with a dark twisted mind and anyone looking for a good scare will love this book!

**thank you to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Posted on January 16, 2018 by cayocosta72
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. Published by St. Martins

Can a child be born damaged? Can they be evil or mentally ill from birth? Suzette wants to love her daughter Hanna. Daddy thinks she’s a perfect little angel, but Suzette has a lot of concerns about her 6 year old. The child has been difficult and violent almost since birth and as she’s gotten older, Hanna has become a master manipulator. Suzette doesn’t understand why her husband can’t see that something is desperately wrong with their daughter. Hanna has been so violent and disruptive, she has to be home schooled, and Suzette begins to be afraid of her own child and what she might be capable of. This book is so creepy and so insidious and so utterly believable. And that’s the scariest part of all. Parents may be locking their bedroom doors after reading this