Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC.

This book reminded me of The Omen with the idea of a psychopath child. To me this was more horror than suspense. I did not love it,sorry!

I’m not sure how to rate this one. It was so creepy that I almost stopped reading it several times, and yet so captivating that I couldn’t help but stick it out to the end. Suzette and Alex have a seven-year-old daughter, Hanna, who won’t speak. Not can’t, won’t. Until one day she does, but it’s to terrify her mother by pretending she is possessed by a long-deceased “witch” from France. And so the turmoil begins, though really it’s been building for years. Hanna is precocious, psychopathic, and out to kill Suzette so she can have her dad all to herself. Really, that’s the plot! Every parent out there is cringing! Suzette is hyper-vulnerable; she suffers from Crohn’s Disease, and since no school will keep Hanna for more than a couple of days, she's stuck homeschooling her mute Bride-of-Chucky daughter. Alex thinks Hanna can do no wrong, and turns a blind eye each time he is confronted with evidence of his daughter’s devilish ways. Sure, it’s a little sensationalist, and probably a step beyond what parents of violent or psychopathic kids really go through, or is it…

As you know, I am a huge fan of horror and suspense, and one of my favorite tropes is evil children. It's got a long history (the first I know of is The Bad Seed but I bet there's something earlier) and continues through Village of the Damned and The Omen on up through There's Something About Kevin. And while I would've said that Kevin was the worst (with the possible exception of Damien---who can't help it, really; he's the actual Antichrist), that was before I met Hanna.

The book alternates between Suzette and Hanna and honestly, neither of them are particularly great. Suzette is sick a lot of the time, and it makes her be a less than perfect mom. (She tries, but sometimes she snaps...which, to be fair, we all do sometimes.) Unfortunately, Hanna takes it very personally and she isn't the forgiving sort. She starts to feel like she and her mom are actually at war with each other and Hanna is determined to not lose. 

This book is so disconcerting because it shows just how horrifying it can be when you have a child who's actually evil a lot of the time. (And how much worse it is when she's not evil 100% of the time, because you can see glimpses of a normal girl in there, but Suzette is never sure which is real or how much to trust Hanna.) And at the same time, Suzette is a horrible mom. She's resentful of her daughter and also of her husband's close relationship with Hanna. 

I read We Need to Talk About Kevin twice. The first time, I was in my twenties and I was afraid to have kids in case I had a child like Kevin. The second time, I was in my early thirties and afraid to have kids in case I was a mom like Eva. 

Baby Teeth underscores both fears. This is a deeply unsettling book, but it's also a great one. Highly recommended.

Well. Baby Teeth. Holy Shit. Creepy with a side of extra creepy. So creepy I couldn't put it down. I literally brought my book and my kindle with me everywhere I went (I wanted to have back ups in case something happened). It also makes me wonder about all the fascinating things that go through Zoje Stage's head. This book was seriously twisted, disturbing in the most chilling way. I could not put it down.


And the story goes...


Hanna Jensen is a brilliant 7 year-old little girl, who doesn't speak, but loves her father, Alex, unconditionally. In his eyes, she is sweetness personified and could do no wrong. Despite what her mother, Suzette, says, and despite what the growing number of schools say that have kicked her out. Marie-Anne Dufosset is Hanna's imaginary best friend, who happened to have been burned at the stake for being a witch in the late 1600s. Together they do horrible things, trying to get rid of Hanna's mom.


Suzette, plagued with Crohn's and insecurities about her parenting skills (given her diabolical daughter). Forced to homeschool Hanna, she becomes increasingly aware of the hatred and jealousy her daughter has for her, and her husband's blatant disregard of all of the bad things that happen when he's not there. And her husband, Alex, is in full denial that his squirrelly girl could do no wrong.


I don't want to give away any spoilers for this book, aside that it is creepy. SO CREEPY. And I could not put it down. This has been one of my favorite reads of the summer, although it was disturbing. Make sure to pick this up terrific, page turner on July 17 (tomorrow!!)


Special thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Zoje Stage for the awesome ARC for my honest review!

Wow. What led Stage to write this? This is a tight, exceedingly realistic portrait of a woman dealing with a child with severe mental health issues. Suzette also has Crohn's disease and Stage writes unflinchingly about that as well. My initial reaction to Hana was that this might be going the way of a horror story but I then recognized issues I'd heard about from a friend who had a child who was similarly frightening. Without saying more, this is down to the bone perfect on how this sort of child can present one way to strangers and another to a particular parent. What an excellent job of describing Suzette's terror. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is not an easy read but it's honest, tough, and well done. Don't go into this one lightly.

I really wanted to like this one, given all the publicity and hype placed around it and given how many others raved about it. However, I really struggled to finish this, and I pushed through mostly because I was curious on how it would end, and how Hannah's issues would be resolved. Turns out, they really aren't resolved, she just decides to manipulate a different way. The problem for me with this story was the believability. I know fiction does not have to be 'real', but for a seven year old, Hannah's rationale and thinking / plotting was a bit too unrealistic. And for the parents, well, I just don't see this happening or either parent letting a situation get this extreme. Even if the narrative went the way of the dad abusing the girl, while horrific, it would have provided some rationale for her outlandish behavior. Instead, it appears to just be an extreme case of daughter doesn't like mom, and that is why this doesn't work for me. But I really wish it did. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the electronic ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

WOW!! This book was SOOO good and very creepy. Definitely recommend to everyone who likes a really good thriller.

3.25-3.5 STARS

"Baby Teeth" is the first book I've read by author Zoje Stage, so going in, I had no idea what to expect. Finding the premise intriguing, I was eager to delve between the pages--especially since I enjoy reading dark and twisted stories that fall outside the typical box. And while there are many elements of this story that I liked, there are aspects of the story that were left underdeveloped and unresolved. As such, I was left feeling a bit ambivalent with regards to this story as a whole.

To quickly sum things up, “Baby Teeth” is the story of a distraught mom named Suzette and her volatile relationship with her young, psychologically disturbed daughter, Hannah. Early on, Hannah displays an adoration for her father which is in direct opposition to the hatred she often directs towards her mother. Hannah is quite stealth in her ability to conceal the truth of her sociopathic tendencies from her father, Alex. In fact, Hannah has successfully cast herself as a sweet, adoring child, while simultaneously casting Suzette in the role of villain. That is, until the situation at home turns deadly, and Hannah is determined to declare herself the victor.

Captivated right from the very start, I was immediately drawn into this family’s bizarre, psychologically disturbing dynamic. But soon, the realities of each character’s shortcomings became more annoying than intriguing. Suzette was uncomfortably patient for far too long, given Hannah’s penchant for causing her bodily harm, while absentee father Alex, and was far too prone to believe every lie out of his daughter’s mouth instead of listening to his wife’s concerns. And then there’s Hannah herself. There is one odd flashback scene that is supposed to set the stage for Hannah’s malice going forward, but all it did was serve to raise more questions than it actually answered.

Despite the fact that “Baby Teeth” started off strong and then slowly went downhill, I found this psychological thriller to be a fairly good story overall—just not as great as story as I had hoped going in.

Ok, so I had to work myself up to read this one. I started it and wasn't in the right head space, so I put it down because I knew I wouldn't enjoy it. Fast forward to now. I've read it. While I was consumed by this book and I couldn't put it down, I was also so disturbed by it. Obviously I enjoyed Zoje's writing style and her storytelling kept me captivated, but I won't lie, I had some serious WTF?! moments happening as I read this. I enjoyed how the story is told from both Hanna's and her mother, Suzette's point of views. It was an epic battle of the wills and a wild ride. The twists and turns and the way things are slowly revealed, will keep the reader wanting to keep turning the page. I do recommend this read, but don't blame any nightmares on me! HA :)

I've never read this author before but something in the description made me want to read it. From the minute I picked the book up to the minute I finished it, it kept me intrigued all the way through.

I didn't like the characters so I didn't finish this. I did order it so we'll see what people think.

Hanna is cold and cruel and creepy. Hanna is manipulative and will get what she wants no matter the cost. Hanna is a villain who will lodge in the reader’s mind for a very long time, becoming both legend and archetype. Hanna also happens to be seven years old. Readers will meet Hanna in Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth; afterwards they will carry Hanna in the darkest recesses of their mind, the place where their deepest fears reside – the place they dare not think about too often.

In Baby Teeth, Suzette and Alex Jensen are the parents of young Hanna, and like all families, they are dealing with the demands and decisions that raising a child bring forth. Hanna has yet to speak a word and all the experts are saying that this is a choice, rather than some type of physical ailment that would prevent speech. Hanna’s acting out has caused her to be thrown out of enough schools that the Jensen’s feel home-schooling is the only option. Since Alex’s career is supporting the family at the moment, the job of teaching Hanna has fallen to Suzette.

Hanna loves her father – really, really loves him; but Hanna hates her mother – really, really, really hates her. Hanna is convinced that if she can just get rid of her mother, Daddy will be able to focus all his time and attention on her. Fortunately for Hanna, she is precocious enough to be able figure out the best ways to dispose of Mommy.

In an effort to terrorize her mother, Hanna begins to speak only when she and Suzette are alone together. She says things like “I’m not Hanna, I am a witch named Marie-Anne Dufosset” and it is clear that her intentions are evil. Alex, who has never heard Hanna say a word, doubts his wife’s account of their daily interactions. Despite Suzette wanting to get a clinical psychologist involved, Alex is reluctant to traumatize his beloved daughter with further examination.

Meanwhile, Suzette’s history is far from pleasant. She has suffered from several gastro-intestinal disorders for her entire life, ultimately being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The stress of this home-life situation has only exacerbating her condition. The depictions of Suzette’s health struggles feels so authentic that readers can’t help but sympathize with her situation and hope for some relief. Suzette is granted a glimmer of hope when she talks with Dr. Beatrix Yamamoto. Finally, it seems that someone might believe her.

This simple set-up draws readers in to the warped world of Hanna Jensen. Zoje Stage crafts characters readers can relate to, places them in situation that would anger any of us, and pulls no punches when in comes to the vicious intent of this young villain. Mind you, Hanna’s parents are not the easiest folks to like, with both of them having enough flaws of their own. There are times when Hanna seems just a bit too precocious, seemingly acting out of character for a seven-year-old, but readers with children are still cautioned about this book – you may find yourself locking the little ones into their bedrooms each night after you witness Hanna’s antics.

In all seriousness, Zoje Stage has created a new type of antagonist. There will be moments when the average reader will feel their blood boil to the point that if Hanna were in the room, all bets would be off. Is Hanna really possessed, inherently evil, or just a manipulative brat? After all, one of the things that makes Hanna so scary is that she herself doesn’t think of her behavior as odd or unwarranted. Ultimately, goodness is subjective and environmental; Baby Teeth reveals that we can often be both the hero and the villain in our own story. Prepare to be terrorized!

I have read a digital ARC, while in return giving a feedback for Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage.

My overall opinion of the book is that it was a good read, definitely creepy and shocking in some ways. There are times in the book where it seems like the little girl Hanna is just misbehaving like a normal child would, but then it just goes way too far, and you get to read some chapters that take place in the eyes and mind of Hanna. You even get to read from the perspective of Suzette, who is just a great character (along with Alex) who is trying to get along with Hanna while trying to find out what's going on with her. For mothers who have young children, this book is pretty relatable and unrelatable (unless your child is evil like Hanna).

I recommend Baby Teeth if you're looking for a good psychological thriller read or just want to read about evil children, which is definitely a book every horror/thriller readers need to check out.

A dark and disturbing story of a dysfunctional family told from the perspectives of 7-year old Hanna and her mother Suzette. Hanna is a force to be reckoned with. I questioned whether a 7-year old could really be that conniving but it was her evil behavior that was what kept me turning the pages. Her mom Suzette is a tad dysfunctional to begin with and an easy mark for Hanna. This is certainly a memorable read with good pacing but not a great one for me due to the story’s unlikeable characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Zoje Stage for the opportunity to read and review this book - it's a good one! It's getting lots of buzz and it's well deserved. 4.5 stars!

Reminiscent of The Bad Seed-type story, Hanna is a mute 7-year-old. She loves her daddy (Alex), so much so that she wants him all to herself. But Mommy is in the way. Mom, Suzette, came from a dysfunctional family where her mother ignored her symptoms of Crohn's disease for years. Still dealing with her Crohn's is difficult and Alex is the only person who made her feel lovable and loved. Suzette tries to be a good mom but Hanna acts out terribly for her. Alex is oblivious to Hanna's behavior, even when she is kicked out of multiple schools.

This is a very creepy book that I couldn't put down. Lots to talk about in this one - troubled children, parenting, relationships. Loved it!

This book couldn't seem to make up its mind about whether this little girl was truly demonic or just a terrible girl in a terrible family. After awhile I didn't care either. I kept getting pulled out of the story because truly implausible things kept happening around the little girl, up to and including the last section of the book. Really, she was allowed to make an unscheduled phone call? Just silly, not scary.

There were a few times throughout this book when I considered not finishing it because it was boring and it didn't seem to be going anywhere, but I kept holding out hopes that it would deliver on its promise of being a tense psychological thriller. I should have put it down because it didn't get any better. By the end I felt it had been a waste of time. It did start off as promising and I could feel the stress and frustration of Suzette trying her best for a daughter who doesn't love her back. But it didn't hold up and I soon got bored. I didn't find any of the relationships or situations very believable and it didn't feel like there was a real threat at any point. I didn't care about any of the characters. There were no twists or turns. There was no tension. After all the hype, this was disappointing.

Hanna is a beautiful, very intelligent, imaginative and creative little girl. Unfortunately – for her parents, and the rest of the world – she is also evil. “Bad” children abound. Many are viewed as antisocial when their behaviour does not fit current social norms. There may be explanatory home circumstances, trauma, different brain wiring or orientation, or plain cussedness. Hanna is just evil.
Hanna shows some autistic traits, interpreting the world in unique ways: “She scrutinized Mommy and other adults, studied them. Their words fell like dead bugs from their mouths. A rare person, like Daddy, spoke in butterflies, whispering colors that made her gasp”. Whereas a person on the spectrum may cause pain or anguish by blindly lashing out, or by misunderstanding social clues – Hanna knows exactly what she is doing and why. Hers is planned maliciousness. Persons with autism often have trouble communicating with other people. Hanna is electively mute: “Hanna kept her words to herself because they gave her power”. She can write, ‘speak’ at least two languages, and draw. Any lack of communication is firmly due to her – although that does not stop her inwardly cursing the stupidity of those who do not understand her non-verbal messages.
Her mother, Suzette, is at a loss. Suzette’s own childhood was blighted by an uncaring mother, debilitating illness and isolation. She loves Hanna, and wants Hanna’s life to be so different – full and engaging. Alex is the perfect Dad and husband – no hidden secrets or weird peccadillos here, what you see is what you get. As you read through, there may be things that you as a parent (or childless know-it-all like me) would do differently, but there is no correct way to be a parent, and Hanna is not a creation of failed parenting, she is just evil.
Initially, Alex is oblivious to Hanna’s machinations, and Suzette has to deal with Hanna alone, while coping with chronic Crohn’s Disease, and maintaining an outward facade of calm and competence: “Hanna was perfect, and Suzette his hero. In the years since, she did everything possible not to disrupt his mirage of familial tranquility; at least one of them was consistently happy.” Gradually, though, even Alex has to see that something is terribly amiss.
Hanna hates Suzette with every part of her being (“Sometimes Mommy was an octopus with a sharp blade in each hand. It seemed fair to Hanna that when Mommy bruised her heart, or made her feel all icky crumbly inside, that she should be able to hurt her back”), and utterly adores Alex. She wants Suzette dead, so she can have Alex all to herself. The book follows Hanna’s increasingly worrying scheming towards this end, and her parents’ attempts to come to terms with the monster their daughter has become.
The writing is superb, and the plotting really draws you in. I had to continue reading and reading, as though my actions might somehow keep Suzette safe from Hanna. I felt so much empathy for Suzette – slightly less for Alex, though he was also a well-drawn character. Hanna terrified me.
I have no children, never wanted any, and this book is something like reason 962 why I made the right decision. Luckily for the human race, few people think like me. However, I would avoid this book if you are expecting a baby.

I could not put this book down! It was enthralling, thrilling, creepy, disturbing, and all around amazing. Suzette is a stay at home mom just trying to raise her 7-year-old daughter Hanna. Hanna, however, is seemingly voluntarily mute and has displayed sociopathic tendencies to everyone but her father, Alex. The narration alternates between Suzette and Hanna which allows the reader to better understand each character, their viewpoint, and their daily struggles with both each other and the outside world. Stage's debut novel gives great insight into a child's imagination and how perceptive they truly are. Proper parenting, the importance of communication, and unconditional love are big themes of this novel. Honestly, there is just SO much to dissect, analyze, and talk about in this novel that I'm DYING to talk to someone who has read it. I am immediately telling everyone I know to buy this as soon as it hits the shelves for that very reason.

Wow, I loved this book. It is a very creep book about a 7 year old named Hannah who is trying to get rid of her mother and just live with her father. It is like nothing I have ever read before. It is classified as a thriller but is more like a horror.

The author does a wonderful job in keeping you interested to find out what happens next.

Will there be a sequel to find out what happens?