Family dynamics with a child psychopath

This is one seriously creepy book. It is told from two points of view - Hanna, a seven year-old psychopathic child who loves Daddy but absolutely hates Mommy, and Suzette, the mother of the family.

Dad Alex is an architect in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and loves his non-verbal daughter.

"Hanna kept her words to herself because they gave her power. Inside her, they retained their purity."

Suzette was an interior designer before having Hanna but now homeschools her daughter because she's been kicked out of every school she's been placed in.

Reading the parts of this book from Hanna's viewpoint is particularly chilling. She wants her Daddy to herself and keeps coming up with increasingly creative ways to either scare off Mommy or kill her off.

I've read some reviews that say this book is sensationalized and Hanna is made into an unrealistic "demon child." I don't feel that way. Some people are born with some critical pieces missing, such as empathy. It's not because of abuse or environment - they are born that way. Think what Ted Bundy must of been like as a child.

This book is creepy, horrifying, and makes me thankful for my family.

I received this book from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Awesome book I loved it sent shills down my back!! To think a child could hate a parent so much....wow

Baby Teeth is a psychological thriller that I literally could not put down. Heart pounding and slightly terrifying, the book builds suspense with each turn of the page, revealing the story of a struggling mother, Suzette, at her wit's end. Sick with crohns disease, Suzette's health is precarious and stress is very detrimental to her well being. Being a stay at home mom should be good for her health, not much stress --unless your seven year old is a psychopath that wants to get rid of her mother. An eerie story unfolds as psychological warfare between mother and daughter becomes violent enough that the Suzette is scared in her own home. Her husband is blinded by his paternal love for his daughter and Suzette is struggling love her daughter and to survive parenthood. Fast paced and chilling, the first-time author has created a memorable thriller that haunts. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Alex and Suzette Jensen are having a difficult time with Hanna, their precocious seven-year-old daughter--she won't speak even though no speech-language pathologist or pediatrician can find a physical reason for her mutism. But more troubling are her actions when she has attended school. Most recently she has been asked to leave a 'special needs' school for endangering another child and for the first time, the word 'psychopath' has been used.

Most of the pressure is on Suzette because Hanna is extremely cruel to her but loving and affectionate to her father. "It is hard to pour endless love into someone who wouldn't love you back. No one could do it forever."

Suzette's and Hanna's stories are told in alternating chapters and through Hanna's point of view, we learn that she hates her mother and wants her gone, as in dead. How far will she go to achieve her aim?

Suspend your disbelief for a few hours and settle in to read a page-turning horror story. I was reminded of Thomas Tryon's book The Other--another good book about creepy children. Hug your loving, happy children a little tighter tonight and count your blessings!

I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks!

Baby Teeth was the first novel I have read by this author but it definitely will not be the last! This creatively spun tale grips you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the clever conclusion. I enjoyed the way that the author had the characters of both Suzette and Hanna, alternately telling the story, so the reader got two different points of you. Some parts of the book were downright chilling and some might say unbelievable but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This book is definitely a page turner and kept me guessing what would happen up until the very end!

Why did I finish this book?

I suppose it counts for something that I did, though the most motivation came from it being an ARC that I felt obliged to finish, but…

Baby Teeth is a novel written to be a psychological thriller with lots of shock value. That is abundantly clear as the narrative moves from Hanna being more or less normal, stubborn seven year old to being a deliberate, calculating, evil seven year old. It is not a good representation of mental illness in children, though it does try to be. In spurts. This book is one of extremes, both from Hanna and her mental illness and Suzette and her physical illness.

It’s a twisted story, that’s clear from page three if not earlier. It feels like it has all the makings of a demonic possession story, and I admit to hoping that it would not follow that route. This meant I was hoping that a severely ill seven year old be manipulated for a plot device, which is a bit disturbing to think about, but these things happen.

It is an intense story, I’ll give it that. Very hard to stop reading.

And it’s often easy to feel like Hanna’s mother, Suzette, is just as twisted as her daughter. And this is painted as somehow more… normal and acceptable because Suzette suffers from severe Crohn’s Disease and that has to have a psychological impact on a person. It shouldn’t be more normal and acceptable, because using disturbed children for shock value will never be okay with me.

Twisted psychological thrillers are fine, but Hanna’s attacks on her mother do little to advance the overall plot of the story beyond making her more twisted. This has never been my book or movie genre of choice and I doubt it ever will be. But that’s just my humble opinion.

Alex, the father-husband to Suzette-Hanna is almost unbelievably naive but then I realized that his reactions to his daughter, Suzette’s reactions to her daughter are probably both very similar to how normal, loving set of parents would react if their child started acting out so violently and viciously.

That being said, I still don’t know if that makes a good book.

I do hope you like it though!

(I received my copy of Baby Teeth through NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest and original review. All thoughts are my own.)


READING PROGRESS

Riveting and way past creepy, the tension in this story builds from the beginning and keeps right on going. Whether you like them or not, these are some of the most compelling characters I have ever read. Some parts of this book, particularly the violence, are hard to read. However, they are integral to the story and the characters. I would classify this as more of horror genre book. It definitely stays with you long after you have finished reading. I received an ARC. This is my honest review.

Born this way, or bad parenting?

Hanna is a seven year old, the apple of her daddy's eye. She is very intelligent, but mute. Her parents have tried everything, including medical tests and all signs point that Hanna is normal. Hanna has harbored thoughts, since she was four. These thoughts have continued to grow, along with Hanna's conniving plans. In the beginning, Hanna tested her mother, giving her opportunities to prove herself. By eight, Hanna viewed her mother in a much different light.

Suzette is Hanna's mother. Her own mother was distant and unloving, and her father died when she was young. Suzette suffers from Crohn's disease and constantly questioning her mothering abilities, because she feels her compass is off from not having a mother figure. She meets and falls in love with Alex, and risks her health to have a child. Suzette starts to notice peculiarities with her daughter and at first alerts Alex to her concerns.

Alex is Hanna's father. He adores his wife and child. When Suzette brings up concerns, Alex doesn't believe that his squirrely girl behaves in an inappropriate manner. Even when called to varying schools, Alex is enraged about the opinions of Hanna's behavior. He only sees how sweet she is. After one particular incident where Alex is called home, he no longer can deny Hanna has an evil side.

The story kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.. I received an ARC from NetGalley via St Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

At once horrifying and captivating, Baby Teeth was a story that will stay with me for a long time. It was so compelling, I couldn't look away. I hated having to put it down for reasons such as sleeping. Who needs sleep, right?

This novel is told in third person alternating between Suzette's and Hanna's points of view and was a roller coaster ride between Suzette's anxiety, Hanna's disdain and hatred for her mother, and Alex's naivety. Their mother-daughter relationship is fraught with tension, exacerbated by Alex's unwillingness to believe their daughter is anything but an angel.

Alex's character was frustrating. He wanted to stick his head in the sand and pretend everything was perfect rather than believe his daughter needed help. I wanted to yell at him!

While Suzette isn't the best mother ever, I did feel bad for her. She was dealing with Hanna alone without the support of her husband, and that would drive anyone to the brink of a breakdown.

Baby Teeth haunted me to my core, and I loved every minute of it. How can a seven-year-old child know how to be so manipulative at her age? I would have liked more mystery as to Hanna's thoughts and plans, but reading from her perspective was super creepy. I appreciate my family so much after reading this book! If you're an adrenaline junkie like me and love thrillers, Baby Teeth is the book for you.

Baby Teeth is an excellent psychological thriller by Zoje Stage. I can see what all the hype, buzz and controversy is about. I loved the novel and will recommend it over and over. It is creepy, disturbing and downright chilling. Think the "Bad Seed" , "The Omen" or "We have to talk about Kevin".

The Jenson family seems to have it all, but do they? They have a psychopath for a daughter who wants to kill mommy and marry daddy. This book kept me up at night. A must read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Zoe Sage and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advanced copy of this book.


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Wow! Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage was full of surprises. This was my first read by this author and will definitely not be my last. I am not sure if this would be classified a psychological thriller or horror story, all I know is I was at the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. I am not sure how readers will feel about this one, but I was captivated by the story.

Alex and Suzette Jensen have been happily married and in love. Though Suzette suffers from her condition on a daily basis, she is determined to love and cherish her daughter, Hanna, the way she never was. But there is something about Hanna that is disturbing and honestly, sometimes scares her, but she does all she can.

And Hanna is an entirely different story. Though there is no explainable reason for it, she does not speak. To anyone. Though she does read and write. Instead she is insolent, had wild outbursts in anger and refuses to listen to anyone. Now she is homeschooled, but this only seems to increase her dislike of her mother. So, she continues to act out. Except for her father, who she loves and does not understand why he keeps her mother around.

And so, begins this diabolical story of a child who detests her mother and a mother who wants to love her daughter, but sometimes fears for her safety. Alex never sees Hanna at her worst, so he believes his daughter just needs more understanding and love, but Suzette sees what is in her daughter’s eyes.

First, as you are reading this book, remember, it is fiction. If you can get past that, this book will grip you from the start. All I wanted was to keep reading, but at times I just had to put my kindle down and let my heartrate slow. Even long after I finished it, I thought of it often. Told in both Suzette and Hanna point of views, this tale is dark and wicked look at a dysfunctional family (which is quite the understatement).

Happy reading!

Title: Baby Teeth
Author: Zoje Stage
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Rating: 4 out of 5

Hanna is a sweet, silent seven-year-old. She’s far smarter than she should be, but she hides it behind a placid façade. Usually. She’s her father’s baby and her mother’s nemesis.

Suzette has been sick most of her life but thought becoming a mother would leave her fulfilled and renewed. Instead, it just leaves her terrified.

Hanna sees her mother as competition for her father’s affection and will stop at nothing to eliminate her competition. Nothing. As Hanna becomes increasingly more aggressive and her tricks become more dangerous, Suzette is desperate to convince her husband that their beloved daughter may be better off away from home—and that may be the only way she survives her daughter’s intentions.

I’m not super into books about evil children—and Hanna is evil—but the author did an excellent job portraying the love Hanna’s parents still have for her, despite her actions. Parts of this novel were creepy, parts were chilling, but all of them made me glad I don’t know any children like Hanna.
Zoje Stage has a background in film and theatre. Baby Teeth is her new novel.

(Galley provided by St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

This is a remarkable novel, sort of a modernized explosion of Ray Bradbury's disavowed short story, "The Small Assassin", but writ large. Throw in a healthy helping of THE BAD SEED and sprinkle with Gillian Flynn and you get some idea of what you're in for. I read it gleefully, without a trace of guilt, though some might not.

With Baby Teeth, debut author Zoje Stage delivers the more than creepy tale of a young stay at home mother hindered by a less then stable seven year old daughter. Suzette and Hanna also have a relationship complicated by jealousy over the attentions of Alex, a husband and father divided by these two females. This story made me feel antsy, as a feared for Suzette's life and the destruction of a family. How could a seven year old girl create so much turmoil in her mothers life? The story is told from the alternating points of view of this mother daughter twosome. In the opening chapter, when we learn that Hanna is "mute" and thus we begin a journey into the mind of child who is determined to drive a wedge between her parents and secure the adoration of her father.

Hanna is a seriously devious and disturbed child and frankly being in her head left me uncomfortable and on edge. I had nothing but compassion for Suzette. She's restricted, mentally and emotionally damaged by lifelong health issues and has the unfortunate task of mothering a manipulative and dangerous child. After a "This is what anger, frustration, stress of any kind did to her: sent her body into overdrive, signaled the soldiers to come out and kill, and everything they shot was collateral damage. Life with an autoimmune disease. She couldn’t afford prolonged periods of distress, and she worried how her murky internalization of being Hanna’s frustrated mother was taking its toll.

Readers of the suspense genre will find Baby Teeth a fascinating read. This is the stuff that makes for nightmares. The story is captivating and the tension well paced. I was surprised at the direction of the story and where things were left off, leaving me to believe there's a sequel to come. EEEK!!

Little Hanna loves her father and hates her mother. Rather than just fantasize about being alone with her father forever, Hanna acts upon her deepest desires. She also makes life miserable for everyone else in the process. To call her an evil seed would be a bit of an understatement. So, this tale is not a careful character study but an over-the-top thriller with a child mute as the evil do-er bent on remaking her world and all within it. It definitely has its appeal. This is one villain without many redeeming qualities other than the obvious: it’s hard to dislike a cute kid. There is a race to see how long Hanna can fool her father while torturing her mother. Her mother is not completely likeable herself. BABY TEETH is author Zoje Stage’s first book and there is more than enough here to keep readers glued to it and transfixed enough to find out how it ends. They won’t be disappointed. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Hannah is a seven year old little girl that seems to be and angel in front of her father, Alex, but it's actually a devil to her mother, Suzanne.

Suzanne tries hard to overcome her own child issues, having to live with a mother who neglected her and didn't care about her chronic Crohn’s desease, and she tries to become the perfect mother for Hannah. However, Hannah won't make this easier for her. First Hannah refuses to speak, even though multiple doctors have confirmed there's nothing wrong with her, but later, Hannah becomes a 17th-century girl named Marie-Anne Dufosset, who was burned at the stake for suspected witchcraft.

The book lets you see both perspectives and, inevitably, take part for one or another, as the plot becomes clearer.

Baby Teeth is a great thriller that keeps you turning page, after page, to find out if Suzanne is really telling the truth about Hannah. The built tension between their relationship, added to the permissive position Hanna's dad takes is a time bomb waiting to explode.

Hanna was just a little girl, right? Little girls loved their Mommies, right? But she still wouldn't talk. Six years old and still not talking. She could read and write, do arithmetic, but had already been kicked out of two schools for behaviors that Alex won't believe she does. Suzette only knows her daughter hates her. Her husband refuses to see it, because she is always loving to him. She never misbehaves when he's around. What can she do? Will he ever see what's wrong with Hanna? An edge of your seat story, dark and twisted in the midst of everyday suburban life. Don't read this one in bed!

This book is not for everyone.  It is dark and really different.  The two main characters are Hanna and Suzette.  Suzette is mother to seven year old Hanna and also suffers from an autoimmune disorder.  She struggles with her health but also with her daughter’s behavior. Hanna refuses to talk and through reading her point of view we know she hates her mother and adores her dad who she never allows to see her ugly behavior.  Hanna demonstrates her anger with her mother through physical outbursts. Understandably Suzette questions her abilities as a mother. She does not even get a break from her by sending her to school. She has been dismissed every place they have tried to send her.  

This novel is really well written.  It holds your interest and has an elemental question at its center.  Does nature or nurture have the biggest influence on who we will grow up to be?  What is going on with Hanna? Why is she this way? You will want to keep reading to find out.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.

A connection. When an author can create a connection between you and their characters, you’ve got a winner.

As a father, with one child, a son, I could feel an affinity for Suzette. My son and I often butt heads and disagree; his relationship with his mother is the complete opposite. I saw parallels with Suzette and Hanna and Hanna and her father. I think that it’s part of the natural family dynamic in today’s three-person household, the child sees the same gendered parent as someone they compete with, while it’s all about pleasing the other. Kids are smart, they know how to play their parents.

The relationship between Hanna and Suzette went well beyond cheering for the opposite sports team and trying to get daddy’s approval after mommy said, “No!” The connection had already been set and I was firmly on team Suzette. As the story went on I felt her frustration and fear, it is a story of constant escalating danger. Hanna and Suzette were exquisitely designed characters. The back and forth storytelling worked well for me, it gave me an insight into some terrifying psyches. Alex, on the other hand, was fodder for my rage. Get your act together! Don’t you run away now! Are you really going to let her get away with that?! I get that he was torn, but for God’s sake, don’t be so oblivious.

I had a great time reading Baby Teeth, it was a lot of fun. Zoje Stage has certainly left her mark.

*4.5 Stars

Mother/daughter rivalry is normal, right? There's that special bond between a daddy and his daughter - if only Mommy would just go away.

Hanna, the daughter in this book, is really messed up. She should be in first grade, but she can't or won't speak so she can't go to school with the rest of the kids her age. So she's home all day with Mommy who is apparently the best homeschooling mom ever, because Hanna can read, write, do math, conduct in-depth Internet searches, and way more than you'd expect anyone her age to do. But Hanna is also determined to do whatever it takes to get rid of Mommy so that she can have Daddy all to herself, and she embarks on a well thought out campaign to do just that - all while presenting her best, most loving and innocent self to Daddy.

All through the book I kept wondering what would make a little girl this conniving and evil, because she most definitely was. We get alternating points of view from both Hanna and her mom Suzette, so we see what is going on in each of their heads. The things that were going on were not just in Suzette's head - imputing motives to her daughter's actions - NO, Hanna was definitely planning and plotting... Suzette expressed doubts about her ability to be a mom and sometimes even regrets at even having a child in the first place, something that drastically changed the relationship she and her husband had before Hanna came along. And I kept wondering - was there <i>something</i> that had happened that had started all this? Suzette didn't always handle the things Hanna did in the best way, but I could definitely sympathize with her frustration. She'd started out with such good intentions - to be the mom to Hanna that she'd never had - but after so many years of being pushed away, ignored, punished, by her own daughter, is it any wonder she just didn't feel like trying anymore? And sometimes actually <i>hated</i> her own daughter.

I was a bit disappointed with the end of the book because I didn't feel that I got any answers. The door was left wide open for a sequel, though.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy. It kept me reading. But I felt that it left me hanging in the end...