Hanna is back! I adored Baby Teeth and while this one is different, it follows on and shows us how Hanna turned out. Shes now 24, married and has a stepdaughter of 16. Her life seems to be going well until her stepdaughter doesn't follow the plan. Hanna reverts back to what she does best. Very enjoyable read

Although i did read Baby Teeth (the prequel to this release), it was Wonderland, Zoje’s second novel that hooked me as a reader. I enjoyed Baby Teeth, and looked forward to revisiting the character in this new release.

Dear Hanna brings us into Hanna’s world as a young adult, working in healthcare, as she meets and marries a patient’s father and becomes stepmom to his daughter. Honestly, I think that my disappointment with this book was simply that my expectations were completely different. I expected the unhinged Hanna from Baby Teeth, and instead got a much more sanitized Hanna. While I agree that the author’s vision of Hanna in young adulthood is much more realistic, I wanted something wilder.

Zoje is an auto read author for me, but this one didn’t really hook me like her other works have done.

This did not keep me as engaged as baby teeth but I was intrigued to learn about hanna as an adult. Unfortunately the plot took too long to pick up steam for me

Hanna’s grown up now and I liked that we got to see where she ended up. I didnt connect as much with this as the first book, I think I wanted more perspectives? I do love how unhinged it is. If in the right mindset, I think this will be a hit for a lot of women!

I really enjoy that this book is tolthrough letters, which gives it this intimate, almost claustrophobic feel that worked really well for the story. The tension builds slowly but steadily, and the layers are what really hooked me. There’s this quiet unease around her the whole time, and I loved not being sure whether to root for her or fear her. It’s more of a slow burn but the payoff is worth it. Definitely unsettling in the best way.

Zoje Stage’s Dear Hanna follows Hanna, a complex character from the book Baby Teeth, as she navigates adulthood, marriage, and stepmotherhood. Through a series of letters with her brother, Goose, the novel explores Hanna’s internal battles and her struggle to fit into societal expectations. Stage blends suspense with dark humor, creating an intriguing dynamic between Hanna’s unique perspective on life and her family relationships. Dear Hanna is a gripping exploration of family ties and personal identity.

Dear Hanna is the sequel to Baby Teeth, the story of a little girl trying to kill her mother. In this one Hanna is now an adult and dating a man with a teenage daughter, Joelle. Her family life is perfect, and she is totally in control. But when a choice from Joelle throws off the balance of control and changes the dynamic in her family she finds herself slipping back into old harmful behaviors. I really loved Baby Teeth, and honestly this one was a pretty good follow up to that story. Although I don’t think a sequel was necessarily needed, there was a lot of this I liked. I was pleasantly surprised by the focus on mental health and trauma that this character went through. She’s not a cartoonish evil psychopath, she’s a girl with mental health issues trying to maintain control of her life and be there for her family despite her mental illness. There a lot that surprised me in here, even if it wasn't entirely my cup of tea in regards to pacing/plot.

I expected Hanna to be more demented, but I still really enjoyed this and found myself sympathizing with Hanna. Characters are really well developed.

This was an interesting book that kept me hooked. It tells the story of a mother and daughter with a complicated relationship, filled with love, control, and secrets. The characters were well-written, and Hanna stood out as both relatable and a bit unsettling. The suspense grew as the story went on, and the tension between the characters kept me interested. Some parts were a bit slow, but the emotional moments and twists made it an engaging read. Overall, it was a good and thought-provoking book!

A follow up to Baby Teeth (which I likened to The Push on steroids), Hanna is now all grown up, but still a total sociopath. She works hard to appear normal. Recently married to a widowed realtor and now a stepmom to a teenage girl, she feels she has really made it in life. Hanna also loves her career as a phlebotomist, particularly when she can take out her frustrations on her patients while jabbing a needle into their arms. Despite seemingly finding happiness, things at home start to spin out of her control, and she will stop at nothing to make things go her way.

This book was touted to work as a stand alone, but I absolutely would not recommend reading it without first experiencing the shock that is Baby Teeth. Perfectly bingeable, Dear Hanna has much of the same shock factor as it’s predecessor, but nothing can match a sociopath who’s prefrontal cortex has yet to develop. The bar was set with the creepy kid. Set your expectations a bit lower with this one, and enjoy the chaos that Hanna now creates as an adult.

I am not 100% sure how I felt when I finished this book, or how I feel still when I think about it - I really loved Baby Teeth (which seems weird to say/write) so I was exited for the sequel.

While the writing is still so smart and gripping, has that edge of suspense that you just cannot put it down - I did not find myself enjoying it as much as the first book. This could fully be a "me" issue and the timing if when I read it. It was definitely fascinating to read about Hanna as an adult, with a man who has a teenage daughter.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Dear Hanna" by Zoje Stage is a psychological thriller that revisits the life of Hanna, from Stage's earlier novel, "Baby Teeth." Now 24 years old, Hanna appears to lead a normal life, working as a phlebotomist and married to Jacob, with whom she shares the responsibility of raising his teenage daughter, Joelle. Letters exchanged between Hanna and her younger brother, Goose, offering insights into her disturbing inner thoughts and their unique sibling relationship.

"Dear Hanna" can be read as a standalone, but if I was going to choose, I would read "Baby Teeth" While I appreciated finding out what Hannah was up to, I found Baby Teeth to be more enjoyable, but still a solid read. The ending was good, but a little unbelievable. Children who are sociopaths versus adults, I think, are more fascinating.

This book was a continuation of the book Baby Teeth which is an all time favorite of mine and a big reason why I was looking forward to reading this book since it provides a glimpse of Hanna in early adulthood. It was interesting to see how she developed and found a place out in society; working and creating a home. I expected Hanna to be even more malicious than she was as a child and was surprised with how much tamer she was as an adult; still not normal actions/behavior but not what I was anticipating. Overall I enjoyed the book.

Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage is a chilling psychological thriller that delves into the mind of a woman grappling with dark impulses. Hanna, once a child who tried to kill her mother, has spent years in therapy, but when she becomes stepmother to her husband’s rebellious teenage daughter, her carefully controlled life begins to unravel. Stage’s portrayal of Hanna is both disturbing and fascinating, as she struggles with her violent tendencies while trying to maintain the facade of normalcy. Tense, atmospheric, and uncomfortably gripping, this novel explores the dangerous power of manipulation and the terrifying potential for evil to resurface.

I was a fan of the creepiness that baby teeth brought, so I was excited to see this title. I unfortunately did not enjoy this one quite as much. Don’t get me wrong, it was still good, but not my cup of tea

I absolutely loved Baby Teeth and found it brilliant and terrifying, so I was very excited to read the sequel. Something about Dear Hanna, though, didn't quite measure up to Baby Teeth in terms of thrills and chills. I wonder if writing the story from Hanna's perspective somehow made it less scary. Whereas I voraciously tore through Baby Teeth, I found myself rather restrained and slow reading this one. Nonetheless, Zoje Stage's writing always has a unique and singular voice and I find her books weird and wonderful. I'll continue to read everything she puts out. I guess it's just hard to top the perfection of Baby Teeth. 3.5 stars.

Not as creepy as its predecessor, but Hanna being Hanna! She’s now the second wife to a widower and stepmother to his daughter. She has worked out her “tendencies”, but the past creeps back when a family event shakes up her psyche.

Quick read; I enjoyed the character development for Hanna. The ending felt full circle on the surface, but for some reason, it didn’t satisfy me. I felt like there’s more to come... we shall see!

I was thrilled to read the sequel to Baby Teeth, a book I loved. Now Hanna is all grown up and she is married with a teenaged stepdaughter. It takes a while for the crazy to start, but I was all for it when it did! Hanna is incredibly manipulative and cunning. She works really hard to keep her shit together and have a normal existence, but unfortunately things begin to unravel.

I enjoyed Dear Hanna but ultimately I was left wanting a bit more darkness. I don’t think it is completely necessary to have read Baby Teeth, but it will make the experience a bit more complete. I will continue to read anything Stage writes and always look forward to her work!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this read. It was a good follow up but I may need a follow up to the follow up. It was a good read and a good move by the author.

Thanks !!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced reader copy of Dear Hanna in exchange for my honest review.

After loving Baby Teeth, I was so excited to see there was a sequel. But Hanna as an adult just wasn't as creepy as Hanna the child. She didn't do enough really bad stuff for a sequel. The story was just ok for me.