Wow. This is the rare instance where I liked the sequel way better than the book. I actually felt sorry for Hanna in a way I never felt with "Baby Teeth". I found the ending unexpected which never happens with me. I would love a third book to see what else happens to Hanna.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zone Stage for this copy!

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for providing me an ARC of this sequel to 'Baby Teeth' by Zoje Stage. To be completely honest, I have not yet read Baby Teeth. I wanted to go into this novel totally blind, which actually turned out to be a great surprise. In her acknowledgments, Stage wrote that she hoped both novels could be read in either order or Each as a stand alone. I think she did a great job. I didn't feel as if I had needed to read Baby Teeth first, but now I will definitely be going back to read it. I was totally engrossed with the story. I could not put this book down. The only reason it isn't five stars is because the ending seemed.a little abrupt. I also love a good twist but I wasn't entirely surprised by it. I also gave to say I really appreciated the use of true crime. The true crime stories mentioned throughout this book are actual true crime.stories that I am familiar with. I love how that added to the realness of the story. Would recommend with or without reading Baby Teeth first .

4.5 stars

Zoje Stage's mind is a terrifying place to explore, and I really can't get enough of it. This time, readers get a real treat: a glimpse into our little ol' pal Hanna Jensen's life as an adult. Readers who loved _Baby Teeth_ and those who've had it queued forever need to crack this newest update into that riveting (and creepy) kid turned grown-up's existence.

Stage includes a great author's note at the end of the piece in which there's a clear articulation about the relationship between both books. These can be read separately and in any order. I will say that having read _Baby Teeth_ right after it came out made a tremendous impact on my consumption of this one. It's so rare that readers get a fully fleshed out character arc for an extremely troubled child in their adult lives. Typically, the focus is on the survival of whomever can escape their antics, and the text closes with a chilling mystery about what can possibly become of this small monster when they, inevitably, grow into a big monster with more resources.

When readers reconnect with Hanna at the start of this novel, she's 24. She's a phlebotomist, and if you are like me and your body WILL turn grey, sweaty, and ultimately land you unconscious in the middle of the great convo you and your phlebotomist are having to distract you from what's at hand (at vein?), then even the basics of Hanna's workplace will be a lot for you. For me, there couldn't be a scarier setup than the thought of Hanna in that role and her general observations about her workplace. It's while she's at work RIGHT at the beginning of the novel that Hanna makes a big life change: finding her future husband and stepdaughter.

Since Hanna has had ONLY challenging family relationships, the chills should start really fast when readers and characters think about Hanna getting close to new folks...especially young ones. This delicate situation evolves into a, well, delicate condition or two, and Hanna's responses are as terrifying as one might expect...and even wilder.

While I did feel like the pacing around a particular situation with Hanna's stepdaughter, Joelle, could have been speedier at times, I absolutely loved the mindful and effective way Stage developed this sequel. There's always more potential for disappointment than joy in these efforts, and Stage's work here bucks that tradition altogether.

I'm not sure what's next for these characters, but if Stage has something in mind, I'll be among the first in line to read it with enthusiasm!

Unputdownable! Crazy! Mind boggling! Hannah is all grown up now She still is a mastermind of ruing peoples lives. I really enjoyed this!

Trigger warning… a pregnancy and miscarriage is staged in the book.. sorry to spoil part of the book but I wanted to put it in there

Baby Teeth was one of my favorite books in 2019. So, no one was more excited to see that the author decided Hanna still had more to say. 16 years have passed since we spent time in Hanna’s world. Now she’s all grown up, working as a phlebotomist, married to Jacob, and a stepmother to his daughter Joelle. Imagine that the little demon, I mean misunderstood Hanna is functioning as an adult, and it seems that life is now being good to her. Yes, she still feels rage towards her parents, especially her mother, but many adults hang onto childhood resentments.
I have to say I was feeling pretty good about how Hanna turned out. That is until her teenage stepdaughter became pregnant, and totally changed the dynamic of this family. I’m not going to delve into spoiler territory, but let’s just say that the idea of a baby in this house quickly sends Hanna on a downward spiral.Her only real outlet occurs when she and her brother Goose exchange letters. While they are usually rather dark and disturbing, they also had me laughing at their ideas for solving her current problem.
I’m not sure which Hanna I was rooting for more. The one who was an in-control adult or the one who just might do anything to get her family back. It's probably asking for too much, but I would love to see Hanna again.

3.5 stars ⭐️ Baby Teeth is really a book that stuck with me, so when I saw there was a sequel coming out I knew I had to read it to see how Hanna progressed in adulthood. She lost a little bit of the creepiness that she had in childhood and I felt the ending left me a little disappointed. but I still thought this was a solid read.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC! As a Zoje Stage fan was really looking forward to the sequel to Baby Teeth but decided to review this as a stand alone book. After years of therapy Hanna is back with a stable job and has married a great man with a young daughter and things look up for Hanna and her new life. Once a disrupting situation happens within the family dynamics things start to unravel for Hanna and we see how she mentally spirals downwards to dark places. Her only safe spot is corresponding with her brother via snail mail. As much as I wanted to see more of Hanna’s previous antics that left me permanently scarred I appreciate the perspective Ms. Stage wanted Hanna in her new life and didn’t see the somethings coming! Wonderfully written!

I enjoyed this book. The writing flowed and the narrative was interesting, however, it was fairly anti-climatic with little action.

Dear hanna the sequel to the book Babyteeth. Where we meet Hanna when she was a sociopath child Now in her new book . She is a twenty’s woman who marries a man with a teenage daughter. And is not handling life well

When I saw this author come up on NetGalley, I was already going to read it because I’ll read anything she writes. Then I read the description and it’s a sequel to Baby Teeth… what? Once I saw that, I had to read it NOW. My memory sucks when it comes to books (life?), but I do remember loving-to-hate that batshit 7-year-old sociopath who manipulated her father and wanted to kill her mother.

Well, that little sociopath is now in her 20s and she gets married and has a teen stepdaughter. What could possibly go wrong?

Lots of chapters are letters written to/from Hanna and her younger brother. Much like the other books of hers I’ve read, it’s a bit bloated and repetitive. This author clearly has Mommy Issues and that’s probably why I like all her stuff. Same, girl, same.

It was batshit fun.

Even though I guessed part of the ending at the beginning of the book, I loved Dear Hanna (a sequel to Baby Teeth). Zoje Stage did an awesome job of writing a great, creepy, psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. Even though Hanna was an unreliable narrator, I felt like I really cared about her and enjoyed following her (twisted!) story.

I was so excited when I saw a follow up novel to Baby Teeth!! Instead of creepy young Hanna told from her mom’s POV this is adult Hanna told from her own POV. It definitely isn’t anywhere as near as creepy and since it’s told from Hanna’s pov you can see more of the mental health issues. I liked it but it was kinda boring and the big twist at the end wasn’t shocking. I like being back with characters from previous books I really enjoyed but if this was a standalone I would have not enjoyed it at all.

Amazing sequel, it continues Hanna’s journey perfectly. It gives that overall creepy feeling thinking about how Hanna could be walking behind you in the park, or taking your blood. Yet, being inside Hanna’s mind is so understandable, she is trying to do what’s right.

Addictive to the point of getting under your skin, and won't let go! Might guess a bit, but not everything, and nothing diffuses the crawl into mental illness, insidious and unstoppable. What will happen next - what will they find out. Is Hanna's story over? Maybe, maybe not ...

Having read Zoje Stage's first book "Baby teeth" I was very eager to read this follow up novel and it did not disappoint me. The book continues with the main character being Hanna from the first book who is now a young woman, married to Jacob and step mom to 11 year old Joelle.

Hanna's childhood was traumatic and she is still suffering the effects years later. As a young girl Hanna was sent away to boarding school after family tragedy struck. Due to the past events in her life Hanna is someone who struggles with feeling empathy and love for others. She is content in her life though keeping house, working and being a stepmom. When Joelle who is now 16 becomes pregnant things come to a head. Hanna wants her to end the pregnancy but wants it to be Joelle's decision. Boyd (Joelle's boyfriend) parents want them to continue with the pregnancy and offer to have Joelle and Boyd move into their house. Hanna comes up with some dangerous strategies to try and get the young couple to split up and this is one the conflicts comes to a head with Jacob finding out many of Hanna's past secrets.

This is a fast paced interesting book but I would definitely recommend reading the first book before this one to get more background.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for a review.

I snapped this one up after initially scrolling past it because the cover didn't grab me. But then I remembered that Baby Teeth seemed familiar, and I was thrilled to see that this was its sequel. I flew through Baby Teeth a few years ago, so I was very excited to pick this up.

I read this very very quickly. I neglected my crafts, TV, and almost my weekly Zumba class. I LOVED this book. It was so good to be reunited with Hanna again, who you either really love or hate. There are some big twists at the end, one of which you can kind of see coming, but is still pretty great.

The only two things that made me rate this a 4 and not a 5 is:
1. The ending came too abruptly. There was great pacing throughout the novel and the tension kept building and building and then kind of sputtered out. It's really disappointing because there was so much going on.
2. Some of the wording and phrasing were a bit off. Hanna saying "dude" and "I legit tried" seemed way off from the rest of her dialogue. I was also a little irked about the TikTok mentions, because I feel like that really dates a novel.

*Also posted to Goodreads.

This novel was very chilling and not in a fun way. I really did not enjoy the dark subject matter. I think the author has a terrific and unique writing style, but ultimately this novel was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was…fine. However, compared to Baby Teeth, which this is a follow-up to, it was incredibly meh. Hanna is now an adult and this book is basically a character study of a sociopath where nothing much really happens until the end. The twist got me but I wanted so much more.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this was NOT it! I’ve been waiting so long for a follow up on the characters from Baby Teeth and I thoroughly enjoyed this new Zoje Stage!

I recently had the pleasure of delving into this book, and I am beyond impressed with the mesmerizing world that the author has crafted. From start to finish, the intricate plot weaves a tapestry of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of this book is undoubtedly its characters. Each one is meticulously developed, breathing life into the narrative with their unique personalities, motivations, and flaws. The protagonists are not just names on paper; they are relatable, complex individuals with whom readers can form a genuine connection. The antagonist, too, is not a mere foil but a multi-dimensional force that adds depth to the story. The author's ability to create such well-rounded characters is a testament to their storytelling prowess.

The plot unfolds seamlessly, drawing the reader into a richly layered narrative that expertly balances tension, drama, and moments of poignant reflection. The pacing is impeccable, maintaining a perfect rhythm that keeps the reader engaged without sacrificing the depth of the story. The author skillfully navigates through various plot arcs, interweaving them with finesse to create a cohesive and satisfying whole.

What sets this book apart is its ability to tackle profound themes while maintaining an accessible and engaging narrative. The book seamlessly combines suspense and emotional depth, making it a truly immersive experience. The author's prose is both elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

As I reached the conclusion, I found myself yearning for more from this talented author. Their ability to craft a gripping plot and bring characters to life is truly commendable. I eagerly anticipate future works and would wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader who appreciates a masterfully told tale. If you're searching for a book that seamlessly blends captivating characters with a compelling plot, this is a shining example. I can't wait to explore more literary worlds crafted by this exceptional storyteller.