I loved Baby Teeth and was so excited there would be a second part. I dived into this one blind and hoped it would be everything Baby Teeth was.

I found Hanna more than unlikeable. I wasn’t sure of her motives and how they would make sense. At the end the twist was revealed and it didn’t give me the pay off I was looking for.

That girl hasn’t changed a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Zoje Stage for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest view.

The much-anticipated sequel to the beloved horror gem, Baby Teeth delivers up a chilling, thought-provoking and interesting thriller. This one can be enjoyed without having read the previous book as enough information is provided about the main character’s childhood that you can understand what is going on. The story follows Hanna, now grown up as she navigates her adult life and tries to build relationships and her own family. The story offers an interesting glimpse into the mind and psychology of a sociopath and will make you hope that you don’t know anyone like Hanna in real life. It had some interesting twists that while a little obvious still were fun to reveal. I’ve also read Mothered by this same author and enjoy her unique style. I’ll definitely check out more by this author in the future.

Dear Hanna
Zoje Stage
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


Hanna Jensen is a sociopath. But she is not a serial killer. She was born without empathy or remorse and with virtually no conscience. She struggled as a child to cope in a world she didn’t understand. Years of therapy at the Marshes facility helped her develop skills to recognize and “read” people’s emotions and actions, as well as control her “stew of boiling emotions.”

She learned to be less reckless and impulsive, and mastered the art of flirting and seduction. She lived according to the logic of her misaligned moral compass, forged by her childhood difficulties and parental upbringing.

We first visited Hanna during her early childhood in Stage’s debut novel, Baby Teeth. This is somewhat of a sequel, revisiting Hanna as a married woman and stepmother to Joelle. She originally met her husband, Jacob, while drawing blood samples for testing. Hanna immediately recognized this as her chance to establish a solid family unit and extricate herself from her parents’ stifling house. She easily attracted Jacob’s interest with her coquettish charm, soon started dating him, and eventually married him. She was an excellent phlebotomist and forged a good reputation. Sometimes, she used her needle as a tiny weapon to hurt people—just a little—to vent her frustrations.

Jacob was a somewhat attractive man, financially stable, and a widower. His wife Rachel had died in an auto accident three years ago, unfortunately swerving into an oncoming bus while intoxicated. This is a tense psychological mystery that can be enjoyed as a standalone, as Stage expertly provides any necessary backstory. Incidentally, as a child, Hanna tried multiple times and in various ways to murder her mother. Now twenty-four years old, she is living an ordinary domestic life with Jacob, a real estate agent, and his daughter Joelle. She manages to cook, clean the house routinely, work as a phlebotomist, and still find time to pursue her artistic talent of drawing in graphite. They eat together and nightly watch an indie or foreign movie—usually suggested by Hanna. She has managed to maintain a nurturing and responsible front. She frequently posts her drawings on TikTok, usually receiving positive feedback. Her followers typically describe them as “creepy and hilarious” or “diabolically whimsical.”

Zoje Stage masterfully weaves a convoluted tale through a combination of first-person internal dialogue, flashbacks, and a series of “letters” to and from “Goose,” her brother, who apparently still resides in a boarding school. These letters provide marvelous insight into motivations and circumstances from both the present and past, incrementally ratcheting up suspense and intrigue as the story progresses.

Hanna’s life appears almost idyllic until sixteen-year-old Joelle announces she’s pregnant. Her previous supportive role as confidant, and almost a “big-sister,” is shattered. Despite Hanna’s suggestion of an abortion, Joelle stands firm on her decision to “make this work.” Hanna is thrown into a frenzy at the prospect of a new life upending her present situation. She certainly does not relish the idea of becoming a nurturing grandmother. In fact, she fears the presence of a “fragile” baby invading their household. Her thoughts and emotions begin to spiral out of control. How can she stop this untenable situation from coming to fruition?

In this dark and disturbing tale, Zoje Stage explores gender inequalities and motherhood in a gritty intrusion into the mind of a “functioning” sociopath, leaving the reader with no choice but to root for her success. This compelling and emotional story will certainly elicit an array of weird and disturbing thoughts that will persist long after the last page is turned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. I wonder where Hanna’s life goes from here?

I love all of Zoje Stage’s books. One of my favorites of hers was her debut novel, Baby Teeth, so I was really excited she was writing a sequel. This time from the perspective of the daughter, Hannah. Another great read! Highly recommend if you’re a fan of Baby Teeth!

'Baby Teeth' was probably the scariest book I ever read but the sequel was underwhelming.
I could figure out the end twist.
The story line was not very interesting and I was bored in the middle.

Not always a fan of sequels but this is worth it..

Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage is a thrilling and captivating sequel to Baby Teeth. As a fan of Baby Teeth, I was excited to dive back into Hanna’s twisted world and discover what had happened to her since the events of the first book. Although there is a significant time gap between the two books, Dear Hanna can still be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

In this book, we find Hanna married, with a stepdaughter and a successful career. At first, she appears to be leading a relatively normal life, but it doesn’t take long for her true nature to emerge. If you’ve read Baby Teeth, you’ll recognize the familiar darkness that lurks within Hanna’s character.

One of the things I enjoyed about Dear Hanna was the gradual unraveling of the plot. While I did figure out part of the twist at the end, it was still a satisfying journey to reach that conclusion. Zoje Stage’s writing is excellent, and she knows how to keep readers engaged and on the edge of their seats.

I highly recommend reading Baby Teeth before diving into Dear Hanna. It will provide valuable context and enhance your understanding of Hanna’s character and her journey. Zoje Stage has once again proven herself as a talented author, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. Thank you @netgalley @zoje.stage_author and the publisher for this arc to review.

Unfortunately, this sequel didn't resonate with me. I absolutely loved Baby Teeth, so I was eagerly anticipating this follow-up. However, I found Hanna more insufferable than intriguing, and the twist felt predictable from the start. I have great admiration for Stage's other work, so I’ll definitely continue to explore their writing—I'm just a bit disappointed this time.

I loved Baby Teeth so I was thrilled to get my hands on this book to read about how Hanna has been doing. This was a creepy and enjoyable read that will suck you in and have you hooked until you're turned the last page. Definitely recommend this novel.

Recently read Baby Teeth in preparation for Dear Hanna and both were equally unsettling. The difference for myself was while Baby Teeth was creepy Dear Hanna was almost tragic. Hanna is now living in an adult world navigating social situations somewhat successfully.Using coping mechanisms she learned from Marshes school for disturbed children Hanna has a career(phlebotomist), husband and stepdaughter(Jacob and Joelle).As her carefully crafted life starts to unravel we see Hanna fall back into her old ways.
Some of the most interesting aspects in adult Hanna are those most similar to her mother Suzette and her interactions with a much younger brother Goose. There are some twists here but inevitably Hanna was destined to fail and I will forever give pause before having blood drawn. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer publishing

Okay, so totally on me here for not realizing what this book was before requesting it & getting into it. I wasn't a huge fan of BABY TEETH, and chose to read another book by Zoji Stage despite that because I thought it wasn't the writing that bothered me, just the child. So a continuation of a story I didn't originally like may not have been high on my priority list had I known what this was, but since I didn't... I read it anyway. And guess what? I enjoyed it SO MUCH more than I did Baby Teeth! I'm not sure if it's because Hanna is all grown up now or what, but this was a lot more fun for me as a reading experience and I'm honestly super glad I went into it without knowing more, because that might have dissuaded me from attempting to read it (which is a shame since it's such a good time!).

Hanna is back and she’s back to her old tricks or is she. Hanna is all grown and she’s working as a phlebotomist where she can cause a little pain to satisfy the darker part of herself. She meets Jacob and his daughter Joelle and she sets her sigh5 on him as a means to get away from her parents house. For four years they developed a comfortable life until Joelle’s drops a bomb shell, she pregnant. As you can expect the old Hanna is back to save Joelle from making what she feels like a mistake. What fallows are attempts that she her self sabotages. In the end Hanna doesn’t follow through but she does enough that causes Jacob to worry. It was good to be back in Hanna’s mind and reading* tab Elster she gets from “ Goose” were great until,the big reveal at the end made by none other than mommy dearest. Overall if you enjoyed Baby Teeth you’ll definitely enjoy Dear Hanna.

Though this one is marketed as Horror, I wouldn't call it that. This book was more of a domestic/psychological suspense. Now if you didn't know. this is a follow up to another book from this author, but you can read it as a stand a lone, as it doesn't really give anything to either book's plot. Except the same character, and in different life stages.

In this book we follow the life of Hanna as a grown woman. She has her own life - a job. And now she needs her own family. And she sets her eyes on a single dad with a teenage daughter. Everything is fine, until life happens, and things need to change. But change is hard for Hanna. She unloads her hardships to her brother in her private letters, and we get to see a bit of the dark side from Hanna, as she plots and plots to get her created life back on track.

I did enjoy this slow burn of a book with a lot of darkness surrounding Hanna, I kept wanting see if her diabolical planning will work out, and how everything will end for this crazy lady. Hanna is something else...

Totally a wild ride for the fans of psychological suspense. It does build and deliver.

Thank you to OTRPR for my gifted book.

I actually never read the first book in this duology but I loved Dear Hanna. I never knew what she was going to do or when she was going to loose her s*** for lack of better word. I knew I was along for a wild ride.

I really loved Zoje Stage’s book Baby Teeth and thought that it was a crazy and intense read. I was excited to pick up Dear Hanna and to see what life is like for adult Hanna but I found this book to be a little harder to follow along and read. In Baby Teeth I found all of the characters to be likable and struggled to put the book down. In Dear Hanna I didn't really like any of the characters and while it was. great psychological thriller I wasn't as invested. I still enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Stage's books.

I entered into this book yet again not remembering what it was about. I just jumped in and was quickly absorbed in the story. It had a sort of fairytale quality to it .

Of course, it all starts nicely but then the cracks start to appear after we jump forward a few years. Hanna is unhappy in her marriage and not sure how to handle it. When extremely unwelcome familial situation rears its head, she resorts to old habits, but even those don't work.

All throughout the story, Hanna writes to her younger brother, asking him for advice as how to deal with her family. Only he knows her true nature so she is able to be frank with him so he can guide her accordingly. I had my doubts that this brother even existed but the truth was definitely more horrifying.

While the end was somewhat sad, I think it was best for Hanna. She would probably still be able to move on and create a new “perfect” life for herself.

If you're looking for a fast read that gives a look into a sociopath's thoughts, you'll enjoy Dear Hanna.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

What a delicious treat, to revisit Hanna!!!!!

I wanted a bit more tie ins from book 1, but this was almost just a stand alone book with same names. I was very enthralled with this book, even when it was a bit dull at times, I just wanted to keep going and keep reading.


I am looking forward to rereading via audiobook so I can see if there is anything I missed!

I loved Baby Teeth and it made me glad I don’t have kids so of course I had to read the sequel. While not quite as nailbiting as Baby Teeth this was still a tense, dark read. Hanna as a stepmom? Scary thought! Overall I liked it but again not quite as much as Baby Teeth. Some parts of the story kind of went on too long (can’t say what without spoiling the plot).

If you liked Baby Teeth I think you’ll like Dear Hanna.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

I was introduced to Zoe Stage’s writing after reading Baby Teeth. I really enjoyed that book. It was crazy, wild and phew did I have empathy for that Mother!
Dear Hanna is the follow up to Baby Teeth. The author wrote it in a way that you can read it before Baby Teeth or after. Both books are based around Hannah, one in childhood, and later as an adult. Same sociopath, different problems.

In this newest story Hannah, 24, has married an older man with a teenage daughter. It all seems to be going perfect, until it isn’t. Hannah likes things to go the way SHE wants. Simple as that. Lord help the people that interfere in her happiness, or life.
Hannah isn’t likeable to me at all. No redeeming traits.
I enjoyed this one, but not as much as I enjoyed Baby Teeth. I thought the writing style was great. It was a little slow, and I found more could have happened to show the sinister ways of Hanna. There were some good twists and turns though.
I will definitely pick up another book by Zoje Stage

Omg I love love love Zoje Stage!
It all started with me reading her book about a dysfunctional mother/daughter dynamic a few years ago. Then, Baby Teeth. And now THIS!
Creepy! Gripping! Weird! Insane! Also, heartbreaking and sad.
Read this if you have read Baby Teeth. This doesn’t work as a standalone, I’m afraid. But, if you have read and loved Baby Teeth, this is perfect.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the digital review copy of Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage. I didn’t realize this book was set with some of the same characters from Baby Teeth until I finished it. The author has said this is a standalone sequel and you don’t have to read them in order.

Three Words That Describe This Book: sociopath, dark humour, trauma

According to WebMD, “Sociopath is an outdated, informal term for someone who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)”. They are sometimes referred to as psychopaths – but both are actually ASPD.

Hanna is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever read about. She hurt people, but from her perception, she is trying to solve problems. She wants to have a “successful” life. She’s extremely creative – sure her graphite drawings are morbid, but she has worked hard to develop this skill and even has a TikTok following. The letters give us a glimpse of the between Hanna and Goose. Does she think killing someone is a good solution to a problem? Yes. But Hanna shows us that people with ASPD are not monsters. They want a lot of the same things we all strive for. I just love it when a story supports the idea that we have more in common with each other than we think and it’s not us versus them. We’re all just trying to live our best life.

This story produced a strange feeling of discomfort where I know Hanna is making horrible decisions that hurt people, yet I find myself rooting for her. I want things to work out for Hanna. Stage succeeded in creating a compelling character that inspired me to buy Baby Teeth. I can’t wait to read about 7-year-old Hanna. I would have liked more description of the setting and world-building. It’s not mentioned in the blurb, but I think it’s important to let you know that pregnancy is a big plot point. I usually don’t like pregnancy being used as a plot device, but in this instance, it does make sense to the story and character motivations. I didn’t understand the words floating above heads, and this ability seemed to disappear during the story. That being said, Dear Hanna is an emotional and dark story that I couldn’t put down and I had a really good time reading it.

APPEAL FACTORS
Storyline: character-driven, unconventional, tragic
Pace: medium
Tone: emotional, angsty, bittersweet, heartwrenching, high-drama, moody, suspenseful, edgy, mysterious, sinister, disturbing
Humour: dark humour
Writing Style: conversational, well-crafted dialogue, compelling, gritty
Character: complex, flawed, likeable, mischievous, unlikeable, well-developed
Disability representation: mental illness

Read Alikes:
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
The Apartment by S. L. Grey
You Won’t Believe Me by Cyn Balog
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
The Push by Ashley Audrain

Final Thoughts
• Dear Hanna is a heartwrenching, suspenseful, and grim story about motherhood, marriage, and untreated mental illness. I can’t wait to read Baby Teeth and honestly, I would read more books about Hanna. This book is marketed as a mystery & thriller, but to me, it felt more like a horror/suspense. Stage has said they have an “eco-horror novella” hopefully coming soon and My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast (the book mentioned in Dear Hanna) is coming in December.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.