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

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

This book was a fun ride! It kept me guessing as to where it was going. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next, it took a left turn.

Never before have I read such a gripping, psychological thriller centered on a young psychopath.

Brilliant literary execution.

The Electra complex on Steroids! Seven year old Hanna, mute by choice, wants her mommy, Suzette, to disappear or better yet,be dead. She wants daddy, Alex, all for herself. Alex is unobservant and oblivious to the family dynamics. He sees nothing at all wrong with his sweet little baby girl.
The intriguing , yet disturbing story unfolds in alternating narratives of Hanna and Suzette - much of the story takes place in the internal musings of both. We learn of Suzette's developmental bonding issues with her own mother, as well as her continuous battles to deal with the ravages of crohn's disease. She gives up a great deal of autonomy to stay home to nurture and home school her child.
Hanna is continually plotting to get rid of mommy. In her nonchalant narrative... she reveals her innermost callous and unremorseful face , as well as her delusional interpretations of actions around her.
Hanna observes a group of peacocks strutting around. She considers them very arrogant and wants to wrap her fist around their delicate necks and squeeze . She wonders if their heads would crack open like an egg. One of her many attempts at making mommy "disappear" involved placing as slew of tacks next to her bed while she was asleep. Hanna then made a loud ruckus outside her door.... the plan was for mommy to suddenly awake in a startled condition and jump up quickly while impaling herself on the tacks .... "she would then burst into the room and whack away with the hammer until her brains started to ooze out"
Confrontations continue to escalate resulting in more drastic measures to control the ever deteriorating and dangerous situation. Hanna's callous and unemotional traits and violent behavior raises the question if she is a sociopath or psychopath or combination of both. Is she a sociopath who lies to manipulate or a psychopath poised to continue her vicious attacks.
The narrative successfully and quickly drives forward to an unusual but satisfying conclusion. I certainly intend on seeking out further novels of Zoje Stage ... this will not be my first and last taste of her skills. Thanks to both Netgalley and St Martin's Press books for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this most unusual and enjoyable book, in exchange for an honest review. #St Martins' Press .








































































"

"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!

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.

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.

Meet Suzette, just your average stay at home mom doing everything she can to be the best parent she can be to her 7 year old daughter, Hanna. Except Hanna is mute and Hanna may be evil. Wait, an evil 7 year old? That cannot possibly be true can it? A 7 year old that purposely goes out of her way to be insidious towards everyone around her except her father, Alex. But she's just trying to get people to understand her and one person stands in her way. Mommy. Hanna has been expelled from schools, has no friends, talks to no one and plans her attacks quite carefully. All Suzette wants is a perfect family and a perfect little girl and she cannot possibly understand why Hanna has a vendetta against her but it grows increasingly dark and more disturbing.
Baby Teeth is probably one of the best books I have read in a long time. Twisted and suspenseful with bouts of sadness and hope, this book had me turning pages late into the night. As a mother myself -who has a child with autism, I felt it easy to identify with Suzette-wanting the best for your child, wanting to communicate with your child and trying to understand what is going on in their mind. I couldn't fathom what it would be like to have a child with such a dark side though as I tried to put myself in her shoes many times throughout this book and even questioned "What would I do?". I found this to be a fantastic read for anyone who loves a good suspenseful, deeply psychological thriller. I was even more excited that there could be a possibility for a sequel.

This was one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I normally don't like books that jump from people to people but I really like how that worked with this book. I do wish that there was a little more from Alex point of view in the book. But the book really did grab you from the open pages and make you want to read late into the night. Great story development and I love how it wasn't a tied in a bow perfect ending. I can see a book 2 coming.

Well, I ended up just busting through the last 70% of this book this weekend!! Thank you @stmartinspress for the advanced copy!!
And what a debut novel it is for @zoje.stage_author!! Five GIGANTIC stars for me!
This book fucked my mind and didn’t even use lube! 😂 is that too nasty? Oh well, I’m going with it!
This book was everything for me! Apparently, as I think back on my previous reads I’ve not read a bad seed book before, so I didn’t KNOW KNOW the world of fucked up children. I’ve seen plenty of movies about bad seeds but not books!
This got me from the beginning. And it never let up for me! Hanna is one badass psychopath of a seven-year old!
The writing was amazing. Smooth. Realistic to me. Switching from mom’s perspective to Hanna’s perspective was seamless in my mind. You really got to see how Hanna’s mind worked. How some things were so adult in her thinking and some were still so childish.
You REALLY question Suzette’s (the Mom) thinking and wonder in the end if she’s a good mom or bad mom and that really fucked me up too!
I just loved every part of this book. If I had ONE complaint it was that I wish Suzette would have tried to record with her iPhone the crazy ass shit Hanna was doing. Why didn’t that ever cross her mind?!
I will for sure be buying this in hardcover when it’s released!!
I know one person LOVED it like me and I buddy read it with my friend Chandra @wherethereadergrows and it was just alright for her so I guess you’ll have to make your own assessment when you read it! And be sure to let me know! I’d love to talk endlessly about this one!!

I have never hated a child (character) so much. And I mean that as the greatest compliment to Zoje Stage. The characters are real, believable. I was sucked into the novel from the beginning and couldn't wait to finish to see what happened. There were a few times I had to stop reading because I found myself worked up over the actions of Hanna - which is unusual for me to be involved in the characters' emotions. Wonderful read!

I enjoyed this book! It was a page turner for me. I recommend this book for readers who liked The Bad Seed and We Need To Talk About Kevin. If you don't like the evil child trope, then you may want to pass on this book. I'm predicting that Baby Teeth will be a controversial book and people will either love it or hate it. It shows the darkside of parenting. The story is told in alternating points of view; it goes from the mother's perspective to the daughter's perspective. It leaves the reader questioning whether kids are born bad or if it's bad parenting.The scariest part about this book is knowing that kids with mental health issues with violent behaviors are a reality in today's society.

Meet Hanna.

She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.

Meet Suzette.

She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.


WOW! I loved this book, totally dark and disturbing! It took me only 2 days to read this, if I didn’t have a job or kids I could’ve have finished it one sitting! I just finished and had to flip back to the last page to make sure I was at the end, please tell me there is going to be sequel!

This is an extraordinary remarkable story. This was an easy book to get into right away, it certainly held my attention.

I have sat on this review for a few days now wondering how I could write a review without giving anything away, I need to say, this book won't be for everyone, and its hard to say "I loved it" but I did, for all sorts of reasons.

The authors writing is well and truly remarkable, easy to read, flows well and evenly without let up so the reader never gets bored, I felt everything that this Mother felt, and much more.

Hannah doesn't speak, has never spoken, can she or won't she?

When I had to put this book down to sleep or eat or do some boring chore around the house, I remained thinking about what I had just read. Its impossible for me to place all my varied thoughts on this in a single review.

I was talking to my husband about the subject matter. Without giving anything away I was tossed in so many thoughts and ideas within its pages, supernatural ? Nature or nurture? Mental health?
But shes a small child {I kept reminding myself}

Is this how serial killers have no conscience?
Does it start from a small age?
Is it the parents fault?

I had so many unanswered questions.

I knew I would get to the bottom of this in the end with the help of the author.

Reminding myself that Hannah was a young girl was a constant battle for me.

I felt for the Mom. You never want to admit to yourself that there is something wrong with your child. Even if you are told that you're child is a little bully, you don't want to listen.

So, its not helpful or constructive when her Swedish husband never gets to see the bad side of Hannah, she is always his little 'squirrel' his little darling.

No school can manage Hannah so its left to her Mom to school her from home, her Mom has an illness and finds it hard to cope, you see this as the days go on.

One thing I took from this fictional story [although verges on a fact] is how strong Hannah's parents were together although it seemed sometimes they weren't on the same page but like anything, there are many diversions you can go down but it can lead to the same point. The same destination, and that was, what is best for Hannah.

I warn you, sometimes you may think parts unbelievable, but each has its purpose. You may gasp and raise you're eyes to the ceiling, you will see its all worth while.
The authors research in this field has been second to none. I applaud her.

Its a book I will remember for all sorts of reasons.

As I say, its not to everyone's taste, but is sure impacted on me.

This book follows Hanna, a silent child who loves her daddy, her mother, Suzette, sick with Crohns, trying to homeschool a nonverbal child who continuously harasses her and her father, who is blind to all of Hanna's negative behaviors.

This book is categorized as a psychological thriller and I would 100% agree. This book was AWESOME; totally creepy and kept me turning the pages. I will admit, it took me awhile to get hooked with this book and I was totally not feeling it for awhile... but then it got me. I am all about the creepy, the not knowing, ahhh everything psychological thriller, I just love. There had better be a book number 2 coming, because this one ended in with a cliff-hanger, which killed me. Thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.

Wow. I’m not sure how to express everything this book made me feel. Sadness, fear, anxiety and a hope for more. This can’t be the end. Will Hanna play the part of good girl well enough to come home to Suzette and Alex? Will they survive if she does?

Wow, this book really kept me riveted from start to finish. What a fantastic story about a very dysfunctional family. Mom Suzette has health problems, father Alex is a workaholic who seems to cater to daughter Hanna's every whim which causes jealousy between Mom and Hanna. This jealousy leads to all sorts of devious acts by Hanna to try to do away with her mother. There are plenty of twists and turns in this very interesting book.

I absolutely loved this book! My first read from the author and definitely won’t be my last. I think I was expecting more of a thriller/adrenaline fuelled read, but whereas this was more steady-going, I still couldn’t put it down. I was instantly drawn in by the characters and loved the different points of view given between the chapters. Will definitely recommend!

I liked it! Baby Teeth is very creepy and unsettling. Kept my guts wrenching in anticipation of what was coming next. I liked the candid thoughts of all the characters and that the author isn't afraid to approach tough subject matter through many different viewpoints.

Debut novel, Baby Teeth, by Zoje Stage is a disturbing study in family dynamics when faced with an unpredictable mental illness.

Suzette is a chronically ill mother doing her best to raise her mute, but brilliant, seven year old daughter Hanna. With the face of an angel, no one but Suzette realizes how disturbing Hanna’s behavior can truly become. Not even the schools she’s been expelled from, or even the other children she’s hurt. Especially not Hanna’s clueless father Alex, who explains away every incident Hanna has been responsible for.

But as Hanna’s calculated tricks get more treacherous and Suzette’s sanity slips day by day, will Alex finally realize there’s something seriously wrong with Hanna, before it’s too late?

What I really liked about this novel is how the author juggles all the emotions of every family member who is struggling in this bad situation. The reader slips in and out of sympathy for everyone involved, even as you fear that Hanna’s behavior will turn deadly before her parents will be able to find a diagnosis and treatment for Hanna. You slip in and out of fear, empathy, and anger at Suzette’s obvious frustration, missteps, and guilt. You long for her to assert herself more where her daughter and husband are concerned and also let go of guilt over a situation she has very little control over. You want to shake the rose colored glasses from Alex’s face, hoping he’ll see the problems sooner. And you long to hug and kiss Hanna until you realize just how profoundly messed up the child really is. The author was able to, despite everything, cause you to sympathize with Hanna’s point of view.

I was truly creeped out by the whole tale while at the same time rooting for a happy solution for everyone involved. The writing style of personal third-person points-of-view was very effective and lent a broader view of events than dueling first-person view points, that at times leave me feeling like I might be missing some aspect you can’t get when the story is only being told from one person’s standpoint. While not a fan of stories in this genre, I thought this was masterfully done, keeping the story both scary but very human and relatable.

WOW! I did not know how this book would end. Was she possessed by a demon or does she have mental illness? So good and so different. You don’t usually read thrillers from mother and daughter prepective.

i've pretty much never really wanted children, although i have at times entertained the idea of perhaps doing so at some unforeseeable point in the future. i've occasionally thought about what it would be like to have a kid, and feel all the joy that comes with it.

and then i read this book.

most of the genius of the novel is in the slow escalation of hanna's behaviour - at first you think, oh, she's non-verbal, okay, whatever. then you think, oh, acting up a bit, guess most kids do that.

and then - oh! she's an actual goddamn psychopath!

this was a really suspenseful novel that i read in one sitting on the train and i'd definitely recommend it if you like psychological thriller/horror.

Wow - This book will scare you out of having kids. Hanna is only 7-years old, but has the mind of an adult psychopath. Hanna and her mother Suzette don't have the greatest relationship, and as this book is told from the alternating perspectives of both Hanna and Suzette you can feel empathy for both of them, but also completely dislike them at the same time. I felt like both of them come across as manipulative and cunning, so it really is a case of nature versus nurture in raising Hanna.

Reading this book will definitely give you a different perspective on kids and their parents. It is a very disturbing book, but one I couldn't stop reading. I think anyone would find a book with a creepy child disturbing, so this book is not for everyone.

One of the things I found difficult with this book was the random Swedish words that were used (at least I think they were Swedish). For me, it's similar to seeing a misspelled word in a book and finding it a struggle to move passed it. I didn't know what the words meant and it was often difficult to tell from the context. I prefer when authors at least spell it out for us folks that are ignorant of foreign languages.

Overall, I liked the story and thought the author did a great job for her debut novel.

Alex and Suzette are madly in love, the perfect couple, a match made in heaven. What a blessing a baby could be to this union. How lucky a child would be to have such loving and devoted parents. Suzette is especially determined to be a better parent than she had, to be the mother she wished she had instead of the neglectful and uncaring mother who was too wrapped up in herself to even notice that Suzette needed medical care. Sadly, no amount of love and attention seems to please Hanna unless it comes from her father. Suzette's days are spent taking Hanna to appointment after appointment in search of a reason for her lack of speech. Home schooling Hanna as best she can since she can't fit in at school, and being the object of Hanna's hatred. When Alex is home Hanna is all smiles. the perfect little silent angel. But Alex can't always be there, and when he is he prefers to bury his head in the sand. Meanwhile Hanna's hatred for her mother is escalating into something dangerous. Does Hanna have reason to hate her mother or is she just a born psycho? You be the judge.

This book honestly scared me. To think that a child this young could feel such rage against a parent and the parent be at a loss as what to do is terrifying. I definitely enjoyed the book, but it was interesting the emotions that it made me feel.

I literally devoured this book, it was way too good to put down for very long! #BabyTeeth had me wondering who I should root for and changing my loyalties with the page number! I can't wait very long to see what little devious Hanna does next!

Alex is a happy husband and father. He has the absolute adoration of his 7-year-old daughter, Hanna and the love of his wife Suzette. Life is perfect. Except Hanna is nonverbal and a very disturbed little girl who hates her mommy. Suzette grew up with a cold mother and hoped to do better for her little girl. Unfortunately, her little girl has made it her life's work to get mommy out of the picture permanently.

Told in Suzette and Hanna's alternating points of view, we have a story about a mother struggling to homeschool a little psychopath while dealing with a debilitating illness and a husband that refuses to see his child's issues. It is not her fault that she was expelled from so many schools, it must be the teachers' fault, etc. Suzette is not entirely an innocent victim but you wonder if the over the top reactions are a sign of her own psychosis or PTSD.

This was an interesting book, closer to We Need to Talk About Kevin than Gone Girl. I was expecting a more surprising ending than what we were given. Overall, I would recommend this book and I thank Zoje Stage, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read it.

This book is reminiscent of The Omen (without the religious component) or The Bad Seed...only we get to see inside the child's thought processes. It is super creepy, but adult sociopaths were all once children, so this premise of the book is fascinating. It is also almost too horrible to contemplate and it is not a book for everyone., but for me it was a riveting read.

An original story with thought-provoking characters. I raced through it in a day! Definite 'We Need to talk About Kevin' vibes.

I'm two pages away from the end and can't wait to get back to Hanna, Suzette and Alex. Gripping story, well-told, with one caveat: Suzette's gastrointestinal issues tended to slow the momentum for me.

This is for you, if you liked _"We Need to Talk About Kevin"_ and _"The Bad Seed"_.

Creepy, spooky and at times terrifying that a child so young can be so evil. Reminiscent of Patty McCormick in the Bad Seed.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

4.5 stars.

This debut novel is a story is told in alternating POV chapters switching between mother Suzette and daughter Hanna. After finishing this book, I'm excited to see what the author will come out with next.

The story is so intriguing and gripping- I devoured this book! I had to constantly resist the urge to peek at my kindle while at work, and by peek, I mean read the rest of the book. Hanna is so creepy, and I kept wanting to know and simultaneously dreading what new scheme she would cook up next for her poor mother. It was really disturbing reading the Hanna chapters and seeing the language and disturbing things she would imagine. There were a few times where I felt a bit bad for her and wondered whether Suzette was an unreliable narrator, and I don't want to spoil anything, so that's all I'll say about that. The book is fast-paced; I never got bored and was always curious to find out what would happen next. A real page-turner!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This was a disturbing book about a troubled child. With a family that looked perfect from the outside.

Some things I found interesting, especially the parents. First of all, I know the whole premise of this book feeds on a mother's innate fears- is she a bad parent, does her child not love her as much, are people judging her? This child obviously has some issues. The family dynamic looking closer is odd to me, too, though. They never have visitors, they are pretty isolated. The husband chooses to be blissfully unaware, the wife struggles with her own mental health.

Some moments were more suspenseful or even shocking than others. I do wish the ending were a little something more. But overall, an enjoyable read.

Judge me not, I do love creepy reads. I have read a couple of thrillers with some really dark characters. However, this has to be one of the darkest. This is mainly because of the age of the baddie.

Hanna’s parents have view different opinions about her. Mom, Suzette knows there is something wrong with her child. She has seen the ugly side of Hanna, the tantrums, abuse and meanness of this little girl. However, daddy knows a different Hanna who is just adorable and seemingly misunderstood.

The story is narrated through the POVs of Hanna and Suzette. Suzette is struggling to be a good mom. It is obvious that she loves her little girl. However, she is having some serious difficulties understanding her. And it seems that her love is unreciprocated. On the other hand, Hanna loves her dad and she wants him all to herself. However, to do that, she needs to get mommy out of the way.

There are so many chilling scenes in this book. I read it almost a week before writing this review and I can still remember the chill that went down my spine a couple of times. There are others that are so horrific that it is hard to imagine a little girl being behind such evil. However, I was totally hooked. This is one of train-wreck, compulsive reads. I just couldn’t look away. I had to see how it would all end.

I think that this book is more of psychological horror than thriller. Hanna reminded me of the baddie in the movie, The Orphan or Damien in The Omen. I know this might not be for everyone and I can already this title being a bit controversial. However, I am glad that I read it and I know that it is one that I won’t forget any time soon.

This book had me in a state of shock...the daughter (Hanna) hates her mother (Suzette) so much that she believes the only way to make herself happy is to kill her...this is a seven year old...so yeah not an easy read but it is on the edge.
Both mother and daughter are vying for daddy's attention. Both manipulate him at their whims, one is more diabolical than the other...he on the other hand is a weak man, not knowing what or whom to believe.
Zoje really delved into the epitome of the family dynamic, where one needs more attention than the other and in the end only one wins. She is a talented writer to write something so dark and taboo but not to let it slip into another realm. So kudos on her for her delving into something many would not.
This book is kinda out there but it is very good. It makes you think, at least you raised a good kid and not as damaged as Hanna.

Suzette, a mother trying the best that she can to help her child. Hannah is seven, she is mute, talented, bright and exceptionally smart. All she wants is her daddy's full attention and his unconditional love. All she has to do to have this happen......is to kill mommy.
A great novel that has creepiness,scariness and psychological terror.
Hold on to your seats, the surprises will haunt you for a lifetime. You'll never view you children in the same.
Recommended!
5 Stars

This is one of the creepiest books I've ever read. But I loved it!!

This book was amazing! I am still left wondering what actually happened. It is really a book about how each individual views their world. This book is told in alternating perspectives, however by the end I still didn’t know who the “villain” was. Excellent characters and writing. I highly recommend!

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

I first found this book in a NetGalley email advertising it as Read Now. I immediately logged in and downloaded it. It caught my eye nearly instantly! It looked like such a good book, I knew I had to read it.

And oh my goodness was it so creepy good. I devoured it. I was absolutely enthralled by Hanna and Suzette’s story.

The only reason this one didn’t get a 5 star rating is because I had a little bit of a hard time accepting that a 7 year old could actually be as evil as Hanna. At one point it flashes back to when Hanna was like 2 or 3 and she realized that Mommy was going to fail her “test”? I mean, come on – I have two children, almost 6 and almost 3 years old …. there’s no way at 2/3 a child could think in that manner. And to imagine that at 7 she could be actively plotting to kill her mother? I’m not sure that I buy that either…. And we won’t even talk about the unhealthy obsession Hanna has with her father. Yikes.

The ending (or really lack thereof) was a little disappointing. But I can totally understand why Ms. Stage chose to end it as she did. I can appreciate that, but I would have liked a little more closure than I got. Maybe a teenage Hanna will re-emerge in a few years?! 😉

I’m nearly positive this is going to be one of the most talked about books this summer. It’s definitely buzz worthy. It’s controversial. It’s enthralling. I’m glad that I read it and I’m looking forward to Ms. Stage’s future ventures in writing!

While I can fully appreciate that this book would not be for everyone, it’s definitely a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and will be recommending it to everyone I know!

It’s about a family A mother, a father and a little girl. What a book! If you want highly suspenseful, can’t put the book down story this book is for you. Hannah is 7 years old and loves her daddy, but must spend her days with her mommy. Hannah is having behavioral problems and is being homeschooled by her mommy. But things aren’t as you make might expect. Read more of this suspenseful story.

Wow! This book was truly creepy! I enjoyed it immensely! I love psychological thrillers but the ones with children are particularly disturbing. I loved the author's style of writing, the back and forth was an interesting way to tell Hanna and Suzette's story. The challenges that a non-verbal child presents were described very well in this book. I would read more from this author. The ending definitely poses the question...will there be a sequel??

This was one of the most disturbing and messed up books I've read in a LONG time. Enjoyable writing style, I'd pick up something else by this author.

As a mother, this book really bothered me. I think all parents deal with issues, many of them they can't readily share with others for fear of being judged. If society was more open and understanding about mental health, perhaps parents wouldn't have to navigate through a mine field of shame and guilt. Hanna is clearly troubled. I would have liked the story to really hone in and when and why her anger at her mother manifested and when she transferred all of her love to her father.

Suzette made me so frustrated. She kept anguishing over the events caused by Hanna and the injuries Hanna gave her but never once did she consider installing a few video cameras, a Net Nanny, to catch Hanna in the act. Maybe this could have been solved much sooner, maybe Alex wouldn't have kept thinking Hanna was a sweet adorable child, would have seen she was a nasty little monster.

And Alex...I wanted to throttle him. Such an oblivious idiot. I kept fearing he might actually be in cahoots with Hanna. Now THAT would have been a disturbing twist!

The ending was doubly disturbing. I fear for this family when Hanna comes home.

Thank you so much to netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the kindle version of babyteeth! Wow! From the first page I was hooked! I couldnt believe the depth of evil and jealousy of Hanna! I felt so sorry for her poor mother! She tried so hard to help her and felt so alone! I was drawn into each chapter of the book and wondering what was going to be happening next! I couldn’t believe how Hanna’s jealousy progressed! Ok I won’t give anymore away! Make sure you read this book when it comes out ! I will be recommending this book to friends and family!

My thoughts are still racing, this book kept me on edge it was definitely a psychological thriller, and though it is not for everyone it is one I could not put down . Hanna is a wild child with scary defiant calculated behaviors who has her Daddy, Alex wrapped around her little finger and doesn't make nice with her Mommy, Suzette. She wants her gone away for good. Suzette suffers from Crohn's disease and is often too overwhelmed to take care of Hanna the way she thinks she should. Although she tries to tell her husband Alex what occurs, he isn't home when Hanna targets her mom . He doesn't believe there is anything wrong beyond Hanna's selective mutism even though she has been kicked out of several schools for hurting other children. There are several escalating events that brings the dysfunction to a crisis point and several diagnoses and treatment venues are presented. Will there be something to help Hanna, and bring hope to the crumbling relationship between Alex and Suzette? This book is brilliantly written and the ending is one I don't want to say anymore about except it leaves the reader wondering .... for those who love psychological thrillers, this is one to read.

T his book was an incredible read. The story of a couple and their daughter Hanna.
We are introduced to Hanna at age 7. She doesn't speak and her mother is always taking her to doctors for tests to see why she doesn't speak.

Hanna and her mom are constantly engaged in a battle of wills and her dad who works outside the home never sees this side of his daughter.

Hana resents her mother and plots to harm her and kill her thereby leaving her with total access to the good loving parent: her dad.

Hanna plots constantly to be kicked out of the schools she's placed in by being abusive to other children and at one point taking red paint and mixing it with water to appear as fruit punch and giving it to another child to drink.

She also hits a toddler in the supermarket after the child hits her.

She hides her mother's jewelry ass well as a babysitter's jewelry and cuts her mother's her while she's sleeping.

Her violence towards her mother escalates to a point where her father is home and observes when she tries to kill her mother by burning her with embers from a fire pit.

The psychiatrist tells them that as long as Hanna lives in the house with them her mother's life is in danger.
She advises them of a facility where other children like Hanna live and are treated until they are no longer a danger.

Hanna is taken to the facility and after a period of time she is allowed to phone her parents. She talks to both of her parents, astounding both of them and tells them she's very sorry and promises to be good if they will relent and take her home.
Her father seems to be on board with idea at first until his wife make him realize that its just another scheme of Hanna's and she's not

At the end of the book we see that Hanna is indeed plotting: she has figured out that if she exhibits good behavior at the facility they will think she's cured and release her to go home.

This was an amazing story: of an intelligent evil child who is manipulative and very cunning: evil incarnate

Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth is a dark and twisted tale of a seven-year old girl named Hanna who has one goal in life – to get rid of her mother so that she and her father can live happily ever after together. As a mom, I found Baby Teeth to be perhaps my worst nightmare come true – that my child would hate me and want me gone – so in that sense, it was an incredibly uncomfortable read for me. At the same time, however, it was still such a riveting read that I couldn’t stop turning the pages no matter how uncomfortable it made me.

Hanna is a troubled young girl. For reasons doctors haven’t established yet, she does not speak. In addition to being mute, she also has severe behavioral issues and has thus been expelled from every school that her parents have enrolled her in. Suzette, Hanna’s mom, makes the decision to stay home with Hanna and home school her. It’s not a permanent solution but at least Hanna won’t fall behind academically until a better solution presents itself.

Somewhere along the way, Hanna decides that she hates her mother and only loves her daddy. While she and her mom are alone together all day, Hanna goes out of her way to let her mom know just how much she hates her and then even starts scheming about ways to get rid of her. Then when Daddy comes home, she turns on the sweetness and perfectly plays the role of Daddy’s little angel, keeping him in the dark about how she really feels about her mom and of course frustrating her mother to no end.

As Daddy remains oblivious to Hanna’s dark side even as Hanna steps up her attacks on her mom, Suzette truly begins to fear for her own safety. Can she get through to her husband and make him understand that they have a serious problem on their hands with Hanna before it’s too late?

It’s hard to review books like this because I don’t want to give away any of the twist and turns that make it such a compelling read, but here are some elements of Baby Teeth that I really thought the author did a wonderful job with:

Two Points of View – I thought it was brilliant to present this story in alternating chapters between Suzette and Hanna. Being able to get a glimpse inside each of their heads as this disturbing family dynamic played out was what really made the book such an engaging read for me.

Suzette’s perspective was especially easy to relate to because all she can think about is what did she do wrong as a mother to make Hanna hate her so much. Not only does she question where she went wrong as a parent, but then she feels tremendous guilt because there are times when Hannah pushes the envelope so far, that Suzette finds herself thinking horrible things about her child and sometimes even saying horrible things to her because she has been pushed to her limit. In many ways, Suzette starts to really question herself as a mom. How could she possibly think such terrible things about her child, who she really does love with all her heart, no matter how troubled she is? Again, I found Suzette’s perspective to be very relatable and could imagine myself thinking many of the same things if I was in her shoes.

Hanna’s perspective added another disturbing layer to the narrative because even a quick glance at what’s going on inside her head reveals that she is truly a troubled little girl on many levels. She’s callous, unfeeling, manipulative, and frankly, just all around creepy. As soon as I’d read a chapter from Hanna, I’d instantly be all the more sympathetic to Suzette because she clearly had her hands full and was on her own thanks to Daddy Oblivious falling for all of Hanna’s tricks.

Twists and Turns – Another aspect of Baby Teeth that really entertained me was that it was fast-paced and filled with twists and turns that constantly kept me guessing about what was really going on with Hanna. At times, the story had the feel of a horror movie so it really had me considering any and all possible explanations for Hanna’s behavior – is it psychological? Are we going to find out she was somehow abused? Is there something supernatural afoot? I liked that the story really had me open to so many possibilities, no matter how over the top they seemed.

I’m guessing that you’ve picked up on the fact that I was not a huge fan of Hanna’s dad. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt – that Hanna was just that good of a manipulator – but it really just frustrated me to no end that he just didn’t get how dysfunctional their whole family situation was and how troubled his daughter truly was.

The only other real issue I had with Baby Teeth was that sometimes I found it hard to believe that a 7-year old child could devise some of the intricate and truly evil plots that Hanna came up with against her mother. I know some kids are more precocious than others, but some of her schemes and just some of her thoughts in general came across as way too sophisticated for a child of that age. In some ways it bothered me because I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it and sometimes it felt like maybe the author was just trying too hard to make the book shocking, but at the same time, it still kind of worked for me because it made my own imagination run wild, which added to the dark and twisted nature of the book and to the horror vibe that I was already feeling: Does she have multiple personality disorder or some other mental illness? Is she a psychopath? Do we have a case of The Exorcist going on here? Has she been possessed? Those last ones probably sound a little silly, but the book really just sucks you in that much!

Baby Teeth is sure to please readers who enjoy thrillers and/or horror. It’s a wild, dark, and twisted ride that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as you watch the battle between Hanna and Suzette play out.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. Suzanne is Hanna’s mother but they never really bonded. Hanna is now 7 years old and she can’t or won’t speak. As Hanna’s behaviour towards her mother becomes more manipulative and disturbing but she saves her best behaviour for her father who does not believe his little angel could do wrong. Baby Teeth is told in alternating points of view between Suzette and Hanna and you will not be able to put this one down. So dark, creepy, and makes you think real hard about your child’s motives. Such an amazing psychological suspense that I bailed on life just to keep reading. Really disturbing in only the best ways. As a bonus for me, Suzette has Crohn’s Disease like I do. I thought this addition and the description of her fears and pains and worries were so spot on for me. I have always felt alone and a little crazy freaking out over every stomach pain but you never know when another flare will take hold, and this was described perfectly. I liked how it added to Suzette’s state of mind and some of her insecurities around her relationship but was not the focus of the story. It made me feel like my concerns are normal for someone with a chronic disease and made me feel less alone. Also, my son did not speak a word until he was 3. Luckily, that is where his similarity to Hanna stops, but Suzette’s fears over it being her fault or her parenting was the cause, searching for a diagnosis, all felt very deja vu for me too. Publishing July 17, 2018.

This book is CREEPY AF! And I gobbled up every deliciously freaky disturbing morsel of it.

Hanna is Looney Tunes - she's like the Poltergeist girl, Firestarter and The Shining twins all wrapped into one with a hearty dash of Chucky. I loved every minute. What is creepier than a cute little kid who wants to kill her mom? I dare you to find something more disturbingly fantastic. Serious anxiety and massive doses of weird are peppered throughout in just the right amounts. I didn't want it to end, but I thought it was flawless from start to finish.

Suzette and Alex seem to be super cool modern parents. I picture them as hipster artists, living in a gorgeous modern home designed by Swedish green architect Alex. Suzette's incredible drawings hung on the walls and her beautiful interior design skills evident throughout. They are so in love and seem to have a perfect little beautiful girl named Hanna. She's adorable and so smart and oh, maybe just a smidge of BAT SH*T CRAZY.

Her "quirks" start pretty tame - she doesn't speak. And 6 years old - not a peep. Cue the creepy child music... soon, she's writing weird, angry messages to her mom, and getting kicked out of schools. Her mom has taken her to endless doctor appointments and had her development skills tested to no avail, but is still convinced there is something wrong with her child. And slowly, with every act of rebellion towards her, Hanna is beginning to scare her. Like, a lot.

The fact that Hanna ADORES Alex, and will do anything for him, is Suzette's biggest struggle. How does she get it through to her husband that the child he thinks as a sweet loving little girl, is trying to kill her? Everything Hanna does is when it's just the two of them. She is calculated, and devious. Is she a witch? Possessed by the devil? Psychopathic? Suzette is losing the battle trying to figure out what is wrong with her child. It's only a matter of time before she plunges a knife through her mother's heart!

There's a lot of talk about this book. I think if you don't like creepy murderous kids, it's probably not the book for you. But this books takes risks, and for us thriller/horror fans, they are applauded. Zoje Stage is at the top of my list of new favorite writers. The marketing campaign behind this book is smart and you can even follow one of the 'characters' adventures on Zoje's Instagram - which is hysterical!

I loved every minute of this book. I will be first in line when Zoje Stage writes the next one.

My Review of “Baby Teeth” by Zoje Stage St. Martin’s Press July 17, 2018

WOW! WOW! WOW! Kudos to Zoje Stage , author of “Baby Teeth” for writing such a chilling, horrific, frighteningly intense and captivating story. Kudos to St. Martin’s Press for their marketing strategies. The letters, the postcards, everything leading up to reading this novel was such a tease and so amazing. The Genres of this Novel are Fiction, Mystery and Thriller with Suspense thrown in.

The author describes her colorful dysfunctional cast of characters as complex, and complicated . Suzette is having a really difficult time being a Mom. She suffers from Crohns disease for years, and when she is stressed this triggers her symptoms. Suzette is very artistic has a creative loving husband. Hannah is their seven-year old selectively mute daughter. Hannah seems so sweet and loving to her dad, but hasn’t bonded with her Mom well at all. Lets just say that this sweet little girl has been thrown out of schools, and is extremely manipulative.

Hanna just wants to love and live with her Daddy. Is that too much to ask? Mom has to home school Hanna, but Hanna has other ideas. Dad doesn’t see what Mom sees. This reminds me of the Twilight Zone Episode “It’s A Good Life” (1961). (about a little boy) This also makes me think of “The Exorcist”. Actually, I think this novel has all the ingredients of being a movie, one that you perhaps shouldn’t watch before you go to sleep.

I highly recommend this intriguing , sharp, twisted, edgy, page turner for those readers who enjoy a chilling and thrilling read. I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.