2.5 Stars

I heard so many good things about this book and people seemed to really enjoy this, however, this was just not for me. I almost gave up on it but pushed through to see what happened.

We follow 7 year old Hanna who is mute and loves her daddy but cannot stand her mother. Hanna needs to find a way to get rid of mommy so she can have daddy all to herself.

I had issues with the 3 main characters in the story. Suzette was portrayed as a parent who was not ready to parent or give up her freedom. Alex was oblivious to his wife being unhappy and his daughter misbehaving and Hanna got away with a lot as a child.

I really enjoyed the concept of the story but the overall turn out was disappointing. I was expecting a twist or some suspense but there was no jaw dropping moment.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow... I'm kind of speechless!

All I can say is that Baby Teeth is dark, creepy, and very unnerving! This book is definitely not for everyone, in fact, it's the type of book you either love it or you hate it.

Zoje Stage takes us into the mind of a rising sociopath. What would you do if your child truly hated you? Well, meet 7-year old Hanna. She's daddy's little angel... mommy's not so much. Hanna wants her daddy all to herself, but there is one person standing in the way of that happening, her mommy. Her mother will soon find out what a monster Hanna really is. Will Hanna's mother ever feel safe in her own home?

I could not stop thinking about this book, it left me with so many mixed emotions... that shows what a brilliant writer Zoje Stage really is. I am already looking forward to her next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Erzählt wird dieses Buch, mit einer außergewöhnliche Grundidee, aus der wechselnden Sicht von Hanna und Suzette. Man ist sofort in der Geschichte drin.

Die 7-jährige Hanna will oder kann nicht sprechen. Alle kindlichen Versuche konnten sie nicht zufrieden stellen. Zudem gefällt es ihr, dass es ihre Mutter ärgert. Das genießt sie. Ihre Mutter Suzette jedoch lässt nicht locker und sie wird mal wieder von Ärzten gründlich untersucht. Hanna vergöttert ihren Vater Alex. Dabei fordert er in Wirklichkeit die gehassten Untersuchungen. Alex ist Schwede und seit 19 Jahren in USA . Suzette hat gerade eine OP wegen ihres Crohn hinter sich und ist noch recht angeschlagen. Hanna wird von ihr zu Hause unterrichtet. Sie kann schreiben und rechnen, aber nicht sprechen. Daher lebt sie sehr isoliert. Da von den Ärzten wieder keine körperlichen Ursachen gefunden werden, wird diesmal der Besuch eines Kinderpsychologen empfohlen.

In den nächsten Kapiteln lernt man Hanna und ihre bösartigen Streiche besser kennen. Sie führt einen regelrechten Kampf mit ihrer Mutter aus. Fühlt sich immer zu von ihr verlassen oder vernachlässigt und ungeliebt. Sie fordert ungeteilte Aufmerksamkeit und hat ohne Ende Tricks um sich durchzusetzen. Sie versucht ständig Suzette zu bestrafen.

Durch ihr schrecklich unartiges und teilweise schon gefährliches Verhalten wurde sie schon aus zwei Kindergärten und drei Vorschulen ausgeschlossen. Suzette ist nun so verzweifelt, dass sie ihre Tochter auf eine Schule wegschicken möchte, aber davon muss sie ihren Mann Alex erst überzeugen. Zu ihm ist sie immer ganz lieb, engelsgleich. Suzette vermutet, dass Hanna unterfordert ist und will das klarstellen, damit sie nicht weiter ihr Leben und ihre Ehe zerstören kann. Der ewige Kampf ist ganz schlecht für Suzettes Crohn und sie fürchtet sich, dass sie bald einen künstlichen Darmausgang brauchen wird. Eine Horrorvorstellung. Dabei wollte sie unbedingt besser, als die eigene Mutter sein, die sie damals ihrer Krankheit überlassen hat. Aber schon die Schwangerschaft hat sie fasst umgebracht. Sie fühlt sich von Hanna sadistisch manipuliert. Zur Krönung überrascht ihre diabolische Tochter sie eines Tages plötzlich mit zurückgerollten Augen und dem Spruch: Ich Bin nicht Hanna! Damit konfrontiert, verleugnet sie vor Alex pantomimisch wieder alles. Daraufhin glaubt er nun irrwitziger weise, dass seine Frau ein psychisches Problem hat. Dann reift bei Hanna der Gedanke, dass sie ihre Mutter für immer loswerden will...

Man wird immer weiter in dieses perfide Spiel hinein gesogen. Kann gar nicht aufhören zu lesen, fliegt über die Seiten. Die Auseinandersetzungen werden gefährlicher. Die Spannung steigert sich kontinuierlich. Man wird tief in Hannas surreale, kranke und perverse Gedankenwelt hinein gezogen. Es kommt zu einem überraschenden offenen Ende, das einen mit einem unguten Gefühl und einem üblen Verdacht zurück lässt.

Man hat Mitleid mit Suzette und fühlt mit ihr. Alex dagegen ist ein schwieriger Charakter. Er ist mir zu anhnugslos. Hanna wird so super clever dargestellt, kann aber wohl doch nicht ganz die Auswirkungen überblicken, die der Wunsch nach dem Verschwinden ihrer Mutter, haben wird. Unglaubhaft und nicht nachvollziehbar ist für mich der völlig freie Zugang, den die Eltern Hanna trotz allem auf das Internet gewähren.

Das Buch ist unglaublich fesselnd. Ich habe es in rekordverdächtigen 2 Tagen gelesen. Aber der Grad an Grausamkeit und Grusel lassen mich gespalten zurück.

4 von 5 Punkten

A la, "We Need to Talk About Kevin," this book was so uncomfortable, disturbing, frustrating, and creepy that I had to finish it in about a day just to not have to read it anymore. It's the kind of book that makes me want to close my eyes to the scenes before me, but obviously it's a book so one can't really do that! It's not quite at the level of Shriver's book, but same creepy feeling, same one-parent-must-be-crazy ... So frustrating. I get that parents love their kids, but Jesus Christ, psychopathy exists! Just FIX IT. The switching mom/child perspectives as chapters are something a bit more disturbingly human about Hanna, because we can see where she's still a 7 year old, struggling to make sense of her world, but we also see where she fails monumentally. The mom isn't perfect, and that also adds a confusing level of empathy at times.

I'm glad this book is behind me so I can the something a bit less anxiety provoking to fill my mind with!

Holy crap, Baby Teeth was so good, and so creepy! As soon as I read the premise, I knew this one would be a winner for me. I'm a huge fan of scary movies, and horror movies that are centered around an evil child are always extra creepy, and this book was like the perfect child-centered horror movie but in book form. I loved everything about it! 

Baby Teeth alternates perspectives between seven year old Hanna, and her mother Suzette. We see Suzette's frustration with not only the fact that Hanna refuses to speak, but more in the fact that she's a horribly misbehaved, and sometimes violent child...until her father is around. Suzette's husband Alex doesn't come right out and say that he doesn't believe everything she tells him about Hanna, but it's implied, and that takes a toll on their marriage. In Hanna's chapters, the reader gets the insight into what Hanna things and wants, and ultimately knows that there's no misunderstanding - that Hanna really is as bad at Suzette thinks, and that she may even be worse. 

What I loved about this book is the impending sense of dread. Because there's no murder that happens at the beginning of the book, or crime committed in the first chapter like in other thrillers, we know the book is going to culminate in something, so as Hanna's acts of violence escalate, the reader's sense of dread does too. Other readers didn't love the fact that nothing specific happens throughout a lot of the book - it's more and more about Hanna's behavior and Suzette's growing hatred of her own daughter, but I loved that. I thought it was done really well, and the creep factor was so great that I didn't want to put the book down. 

All in all, this was a 5 star read for me, and I'd love to see this turned into a horror movie! I can see why some people would struggle with this one (especially parents), because there really are no redeeming qualities to the child, and it's not easy to read. I've never wanted children, and this book reiterated that I made the right decision! Ha! Lastly, this was Zoje Stage's debut novel, which was shocking to me because it was so well written! I can't wait to read more by her in the future. If you're someone who enjoys books that are creepy, engrossing, and uncomfortable, this will be a winner for you! I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press for my copy of the book. It was a pleasure to provide an honest review.

Wow, this was an incredible book! In one of this season's most talked about books, readers are introduced to Hanna, a child born into a family that loves her very much, with a father that believes she can do no wrong and a mother questioning her own sanity on a daily basis. Captivating from the first page, you won't want to put this book down, wondering what is going to happen next, believing it just can't get worse. Hanna has struck out against her mother in various disturbing and violent ways. Is this a possessed child, a child with a mental illness, or is there more - is she just naturally cruel? Alex, Hanna's father is perfect in her eyes and won't react in bad ways in front of him. When Alex hears stories, what little is being shared by mother Suzette, of the days activities, he becomes defensive, not his precious "lilla gumman". What follows is amazing family dynamics of two parents, questioning their daughters intentions and their future. So much about this book is disturbing and creepy, and I'm sure some readers will want to just put it down and leave it, but I truly believe you need to read to the end. I don't want to give anything away in this review. This talented author has created a debut book that will be talked about for a long time. I believe she's left the ending open, leading me to believe and hope there may be a continuation to this story. Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Baby Teeth" follows the story of Suzette and Hanna, mother and daughter with a not very "motherly-daughterly" relationship. Hanna in fact, hates Suzette, and despite only being a child of seven, is constantly devising ways to hurt and eventually make her Mommy "gone". Suzette, in turn, has long given up on Hanna, and is trying to get Hanna accepted into school and out of the house as much as possible. She is also dealing with severe health problems, and still dealing with the scars of growing up with a mother who never loved her in her perspective. The husband, and respectively the father, Alex, fails to see how Hanna behaves around Suzette and the rest of the world, and strongly believes Hanna is just an imaginative and sensitive child. As things progress, the destructive relationship between Hanna and Suzette starts spiraling out of control, and Suzette and Alex need to try to understand the issue with their child and what they can do to help her.

For the whole week I read this book (I would have read it much quicker if real life hadn't required my attention), I kept thinking about it, making speculations, and trying to talk about the situations in it as hypothetical situations to people around me that hadn't read the book. The fast pace and the writing style made it very hard to put down. I also thought the alternating point of view of Hanna and Suzette, chapter by chapter, was very engaging and added to the 'unputdownable' factor.

The characters are all flawed, but I suppose that's a reflection of real people. We are all flawed and, put in certain situations, we may all react in a way that we would think unthinkable up to that point. Suzette is more worried about her image of herself as a mother in the eyes of her husband, than her actual mothering of Hanna. Alex is oblivious to his wife's feelings, and even more oblivious to his daughter's true intentions. They try very hard to project an image of a perfect family, but fail to support and trust each other enough to do so. But again, people and relationships come in all different variations, so in my eyes, the characters were believable.

Despite having truly enjoyed the read, I did have some issues with it, mainly the ending, which felt a bit of a cop out. I didn't feel the ending was in line with the character development up to that point (especially Alex's), and I felt that the plot was rushed to get to where it did. I would have also liked a bit more insight into Hanna's and Suzette's relationship between the toddler years up to the present point, because the few flashbacks we do get feel more like a tease and are not enough to draw any conclusions.

All in all, this was an interesting book, that gave me a lot of food for thought, but also a thrill and an enjoyment for reading it.

BOOK REVIEW of BABY TEETH - 3.5 Stars — Hanna is her daddy’s perfect little angel and her mommy’s worst nightmare. Seven year old, Hanna (and her alter ego Marie-Anne), wants to live happily ever after with her daddy... but first she must get rid of her mommy. This is such a creepy, suspenseful book, but there aren’t any big twists. It’s part thriller—part horror— part character-driven. I liked it, but I wanted a little more. It seems like it’s set up well for a sequel— maybe a storyline where Hanna is an adult? Great debut novel. I look forward to reading more from this author!

***** Thanks @stmartinspress for sending me this #arc in exchange for my honest review.******

What kind of a 7-year-old plots multiple ways to kill her mother? Is a psychopath born or made? Can a mom’s regret in having a daughter send a little girl spiraling down a path of no return? Baby Teeth is a book that thrills, horrifies, and raises uncomfortable questions. You’ll want to stop reading, but you won’t be able to put the book down.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

What an interesting book! The title is what initially grabbed my attention, but the ensuing story is what kept it. Just enough strangeness for my taste. Glad I read this one and will recommend to friends.

This book was... wow, I'm not sure how to describe it. I was offered an advanced copy but hesitated at first because while I enjoy thrillers, I don't care for books with kids. Especially when it sounds like the child is psycho.

That said, this was one of those thrilling books that you want to finish to see what happens. Overall, the story was well-written and I will definitely read more by this author. But honestly the book was not for me.

Very interesting subject. Told from both the mother's and daughter's perspective. Cannot give away the ending but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a sequel.

I received a free digital copy from the publisher and NetGalley, but this in no way influences my opinion.

Where do I begin? I think this is one of the most disturbing books I have had the pleasure of reading. I can honestly say I a not team Suzette nor team Hannah. Hannah is mentally unstable, as well as Suzette they both suffer in some way with mental health issues. One more extreme than the other.

It was a page-turning right from the start. The writing brilliant, and the characters disturbing. The shifts in points of view made it feel as if you were a fly on the wall.

I included this as part of feature post. More information has been sent with feedback to publisher (privately).

I was rather disappointed by Zoje Stage's book Baby Teeth. It began promising enough and the character's were well thought out and descriptive enough to make you feel empathy & compassion for them. I felt that the story itself many times left reality in an unnecessary way which totally made me want to stop reading. I also was disappointed with the ending the book, even though I clearly understood the author's intent.
I feel that if I was not reading this book in order to give a Netgalley review, I most likely would not have completed the entire book. I know there are many who have felt differently about BabyTeeth and would therefore encourage everyone to give it a try and form their own opinion!

Hanna is six and doesn't speak yet. Suzette and Alex are her parents and they struggle to figure out what is holding back their little girl from talking. Instead, Hanna channels a french witch to help her torture her mommy.

Freaky? You betcha.

This book was a giant yawn-fest. It had a great premise, and I was intrigued for nightmares. It fell completely flat for me. None of the characters were good enough to root for-- pretty sure they are all messed up in one way or another. The author planted threads and then never unraveled them. The tension was instigated but never worked quite right. This book just needed a little more help to make it great. I was frustrated with it as a reader, what was the point of the background of the husband being Swedish? I will leave this for now as I find that I'll go down a rabbit hole of questions.

Gripping. Hanna and Suzette are disturbed. I couldn’t stop reading to see what Hanna would do to Suzette next and what Suzette would finally do about it. Hanna is evil and I found myself feeling a certain way throughout the day. This book stuck with me physically and had an actual effect on me! This was an amazing read. Stage wrote an amazing book and had an excellent way of telling the wicked ways a child could be. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC of this as well as to St. Martin’s Press for not only the published ARC edition, but also a fantastic audiobook I could listen to, in exchange for my unbiased review. I have been beyond excited of all the press this book has gotten from the publisher and that I have been included!

*Warning - Spoilers ahead*

Hanna is mute and her parents and doctors cannot determine why despite numerous medical tests. Perhaps it's all part of her plan to try to kill her mother...?

I had high hopes for this book as it had a creepy premise and I was looking forward to seeing how the story would play out. Unfortunately, this book came off more "icky" than creepy to me, and I had a very difficult time getting through it.

I did not like any of the characters - none of them, except maybe Beatrix. There was nothing to root for (unless you're hoping for all of the characters to meet their demise). There were just too many disturbing images in this book, such as Hanna observing her parents being intimate and hoping her father would smother her mother in the process; Hanna pretending to have intercourse with the devil; Hanna creating a collage of dead women/mothers and including a photograph of her sleeping, naked mother in that collage, etc. Not only that, but I got the feeling that she had romantic feelings toward her father which is just... ick.

The author did a good job of showing the different perspectives of both Hanna/Suzette, although a chapter or two from Alex's perspective would have added something I think. The author also did a good job of detailing the history of the characters, although I felt like some more history detailing Suzette/Hanna's relationship would help the reader to sympathize/empathize with Hanna (yes, there was the choking on the food incident when Hanna was younger, but a few more incidents like this would have helped us understand why Hanna has such a deep hatred for her mother). Then again, maybe Hanna just is the way she is because she does have psych problems as is hinted at towards the end of the book.

I thought this book picked up around the fire incident (that was the best chapter IMO), but I found it off putting how Suzette and Alex were basically just done with Hanna and happy living their lives on their own after she went to Marsh's. Made them both even more unlikeable even though I could see where they were coming from given Hanna's past behaviour... but as a parent myself, I just found it surprising and I couldn't relate.

I will say that I am glad that Alex did finally see through Hanna's manipulations. It would have been super frustrating had he continued to turn a blind eye toward Suzette's accounts of the differences in Hanna's behaviour.

I found the ending of the book a little corny. I would have liked to have seen something different happen, although I'm not sure what.

Even though I wasn't a big fan of this book, I do want to thank both Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This book wasn't for me, but I'm sure a lot of readers would love this novel since it is definitely an original story and not too predictable!

I loved this book! Yet, I hated it. I wanted to throw it across the room. Hard! There so many emotions running through me while reading. A book that can do that deserves it all. Baby Teeth deserves a better review than this, but my emotions get the best of me.

This book was incredibly disturbing but in an excellent way. It gripped my attention from the first page, and I couldn't wait to keep turning the page. Even the end had me wanting more. Brilliant