I was so excited to receive the 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 arc after reading and adoring Baby Teeth. Our favorite little sociopath is all grown up now, and Zojie Stage had crafted a solid follow-up to fill in gaps of where we last left her.

Zojie's characters are so well fleshed out, and Hanna's arc from creepy, troubled child to adult life is beyond creative! Her career as a phlebotomist? That is truly creepy, and it gave me a bit of a Dexter vibe!
I especially loved the letters between Hanna and her younger brother. They give quite a bit of insight into her current thought process and, at times, were rather smirk worthy. I love her dark sense of humor.

Mental health, trauma, and the dynamics of family life are explored with sensitivity as we see Hanna try to live a "normal life" while she battles her "other self. " She really tries to suppress her inner demon.

As the story progressed and Hanna unravels more, along with that familiar darkness from childhood still lurking, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. There were Goldberg vibes from 𝗬𝗢𝗨 as well, and I was completely engaged from start to finish.

Ultimately, Zojie knocked this sequel out of the park, and I do hope we will see more of Hanna in the future!

Highly recommend you read all Zojie Stage's books. No one writes creepy horror better

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Dear Hanna!

I was really looking forward to this book. I loved the cover and the synopsis, but I was a bit bored by the slowness of the book. There felt like a lot of unnecessary filler and I absolutely despised the main character, Hanna. While I believe this was the point, she still irritated me too much to want to finish. She was self centered and self serving in every way. I had to DNF this around 50%. I’ve heard great things about Baby Teeth so I’ll definitely be reading that in the future, and I look forward to trying her new works.

Am I the only one who found this book heartbreaking?

I’ve mentioned before my stoner goldfish brain that’s simply incapable of remembering anything that isn’t phone numbers of people I knew 20 years ago, or other completely pointless bits of information. So I was a bit nervous as I couldn’t really remember Baby Teeth very well. Luckily (as the author mentions in the afterword) these books can be read in any order and/or as standalones.

In Dear Hanna we get to see Hanna as a young adult. She seems to be doing well. Successful job, “worthy” husband, good relationship with her step daughter, nice house etc etc. Her only true connection to the past is in the letters she writes to Gustav, her younger brother. I really enjoyed Goose as a character. He’s like a slightly more mellow version of Hanna, but also ride or die like a true gangster. Hanna’s life has grown bit stagnant but a major injection of unexpected life events ends up pushing her back into the old Hanna.

I honestly expected this to be more about an evil sociopath as an adult wreaking havoc everywhere she goes. Hanna has her moments but this book was a much deeper psychological portrait of someone who struggles with love. Not simply how to give but also being on the receiving end.

Stage’s writing is fantastic and I can feel her voice in her words. She does an excellent job with the characterization in the book. I expected the characters to fit into neat stereotypes, but none of them really did that. While I did predict some parts of this book, there were several places the books went that literally made my jaw drop.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. It left a huge lump in my throat, but I’ve found some of my favorite books are the ones that bring out the deepest emotions.

I would recommend this book. It’s not so much horror or thriller, but more a well written portrayal of an individual who struggles to find her place within society and the family unit.

Dear Hanna. A story woven with twists and surprises. I enjoyed the characters and story. Recommend this one. Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author for the arc in exchange for my review.

Although the things that Hanna thinks and does are often disturbing (to say the least), this book is written in such a way that the reader can understand and even empathize with her as she tries to navigate her world. I really wanted everything to work out for her! Hanna is a very interesting character, and I’d be interested in seeing where her life goes from here. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow...I'm not sure where to begin. First, if you haven't read Baby Teeth I suggest you read it because Dear Hanna is the sequel, however, it can be read as a standalone. Throughout the story there are plenty of references to what happened in Baby Teeth so I don't think the reader would feel lost if they don't read the other book.
Now, the story follows the life of Hanna as an adult. She is married and has a teenaged stepdaughter, Joelle, that she absolutely adores. Hanna appears to really enjoy her day to day life with her husband Jacob and Joelle but something happens with Joelle that starts to change the dynamic of their family. Hanna starts to unravel and resort to how she used to be as a kid. She hasn't been completely honest with her husband about her past and she fears that the worst will happen if she does tell him about it.
You can't help but feel bad for Hanna because she tries so hard to be "normal" and act the way a "normal wife" is supposed to act that you just feel tired for her with her efforts. She genuinely wants to have a simple life but it seems like her past has a way of coming back.
I won't go into detail about the ending but I feel so sad and I really want there to a third book please!!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer. All opinions are my own.

I was looking forward to this sequel because I really enjoyed the first novel from this author. I have read a few of their novels and enjoyed them all. However, I did not like this one as much as the first novel in this series. Thank you publisher and netgalley for the chance to check this one out.

This is a sequel to Baby Teeth, which was so creepy that I immediately get pulled back into the story thinking about it. In Baby Teeth, Hanna was an (innocent?) child who just wants her daddy to herself -- so maybe she has to get rid of her mother. In Dear Hanna, we see Hanna as an adult with a husband and a job. Unfortunately, she also has a stepdaughter, and that's where things start to unravel.
This book is creepy too, but it doesn't reach the height of Baby Teeth. I agree with the reviewer who said this needs to be a trilogy, so we can see the inevitable conclusion to Hanna's problems.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 13, 2024
Zoje Stage hit it out of the park with “Baby Teeth”, one of my favourite novels from a few years ago. I’ve followed her career religiously since then, adoring “Mothered” and “Getaway” (although they didn’t strike the same chord as “Baby Teeth”). So, imagine my surprise in 2024, when Stage delivers “Dear Hanna”, a SEQUEL to “Baby Teeth”?! Could it be TRUE? Well, I couldn’t read this novel fast enough.
Hanna is now twenty-four years old, wife to real estate agent, Jacob, and stepmother to his daughter, Joelle. After years of residential treatment and intensive therapy, Hanna knows just how to act so that she appears “normal” to other people. In fact, Hanna even admits to loving her stepdaughter and living a content, satisfying life, reaching out to her brother when she needs reassurance and comfort. But when her stepdaughter falls pregnant, Hanna knows that the life she built for herself is about to change forever. As a result of her past, Hanna knows she cannot be trusted around young children, and definitely not fragile babies, but her husband and stepdaughter do not know the secrets of Hanna’s upbringing so how can she return things to the way they were before, without completely uprooting the life she worked to hard to build?
“Dear Hanna” is a sequel, yes, but it can absolutely be read separately. The author herself states that both “Baby Teeth” and “Dear Hanna” do not need to be read together, or in any particular order, and I wholeheartedly agree. “Hanna” has the same characters as “Teeth”, obviously, but this novel takes place decades later so almost everything about Hanna’s circumstances have changed.
Hanna narrates, although each chapter begins with letters between Hanna and her brother (affectionately nicknamed, Goose), where Hanna shares her true thoughts and talks out her plans and schemes without fear of judgment. These letters are crucial to understanding Hanna’s adult character, whether you’ve read “Teeth” or not.
Right away, I guessed the truth about Hanna’s brother. I don’t know if this is because I’ve read “Teeth”, or because I read this genre almost exclusively, but either way, this knowledge did nothing to damper my enjoyment of the plot. I loved every minute of Hanna’s dark and twisted mind and was invested in the outcome from the first page.
This novel is the perfect follow up to “Baby Teeth” and although I find childhood sociopaths slightly more interesting, I can honestly say that I was happy to see Hanna resurface as an adult. Thank you, Stage, for bringing Hanna back into my life!

This was my most anticipated sequel for the year.
Baby Teeth was so creepy and I loved it.
To be back with Hanna as an adult?! Yes please.

Hanna is all grown up and found herself a man with a teenage daughter. She finds little ways to enact some of her darker tendencies until some news of change makes her feel out of control and “Other Self” (Marie-Ann Dufosset)demands to come out to play.

It definitely had a different vibe than Baby Teeth but it worked. The writing is still smart with an edge of suspense, making it very hard to put down.

Thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an eARC.

Well, OMG. I am not one that really likes sequels, usually. This is amazing! Zoje has an amazing and unique way of writing. I'm sure I'll read every single thing writes.
Even if you didn't read Baby Teeth, I think you will find this book awesome. Her writing style is so different from most books.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and mostly Zoje Stage for the chance to read this advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage will be released on August 13th, 2024.

I really wanted to like this book. I adored Baby Teeth, I devoured it in only a few hours, but Dear Hanna does not even attempt to hold a candle to the first book. I struggled a lot to get through this book - so much so that I had to keep going back to it between other books I was reading.

DEAR HANNA was a creepy thriller that delivered on the twists and turns that Zoje Stage is known for. There were a few plot points that were almost too out of left field, even knowing the mental mindset of the characters. The ending was a little rushed, which was disappointing given the setup. Overall still enjoyable and will keep an eye out for future Zoje Stage novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review DEAR HANNA.

Dear Hanna is a sequel to Baby Teeth, which features Hanna, the murderous manipulative child, now all grown up. I actually haven’t read Baby Teeth (I didn’t realise this was a sequel until after I requested to read it!) but Dear Hanna can be read as a stand-alone as the book does touch on her background story so you get an idea of her past behaviour.

Hanna now has a family of her own - a husband Jacob, and a teenage stepdaughter Joelle who is expecting a child. As all the attention is shifted to Joelle, Hanna returns to her manipulative ways and puts not only others but also herself in danger.

A few chapters throughout the book are presented as letters between Hanna and her brother Goose, hence why the novel is titled “Dear Hanna” which I think is cute.

I did zone out about halfway throughout the book as it kind of got repetitive and the main plot was just about Hanna worrying about Joelle’s pregnancy.

Thank you to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC! ✨

Having just finished the sequel to "Baby Teeth," I found myself both impressed and a little disappointed. Hanna’s character is expertly written in terms of development; she manages to be both open and mysterious, which kept me engaged. The slow pace didn't bother me because the events never felt stagnant. There's a sense of looming doubt and tension in every sentence that keeps the plot moving forward and interesting.

However, while this story continues Hanna's life from where "Baby Teeth" left off, it feels like something essential has changed. Hanna is no longer the terrifying child she once was, which is a bit of a letdown. Her character has developed, but her natural essence from when she was seven is different, and that shift took away some of the edge that made the original so compelling.

I highly recommend reading "Baby Teeth" first and then diving into this sequel to compare the two versions of Hanna. It’s fascinating to see how she’s evolved, but I couldn’t help but miss the unsettling presence she once had. Despite this, the book remains an intriguing read, especially for those who appreciate deep character development.


I would like to express my deep gratitude to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best follow up stories I could imagine. I’d love to read a book on every stage of Hanna’s life. Can’t wait to get a physical copy and reread both books with the knowledge I gained after that last page. Zoje has an amazing writing style and I’ve read other books, I fully think Zoje is going to be a big name in thriller mysteries. When this book officially drops, everyone is going to read it. I’ve been pumping them up to get ready.

This is a more than worthy follow up to such a massive success as Baby Teeth. Hanna has grown and has a new idea of what the perfect life is. I love this continuation into the life of a troubled, but somehow very lovable, person. I'd read a new Hanna any time!

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.

I loved Baby Teeth the first book featuring Hannah, something about the diabolical child and the mother daughter relationship really fascinated and grabbed me. In Dear Hanna I was excited to see what Hanna is doing as an adult but I really missed the mother in this one and found Hanna on her own a tad boring.

The twist was quite obvious because nothing really exciting happened in the book so it felt inevitable.

Happy I read it but it was no Baby Teeth.

Tense and addictive! Hanna was the star of Baby Teeth and she is back as a high functioning adult. She has a successful job as a phlebotomist and has snagged herself a husband with a teenage daughter not much younger than herself. Hanna finds peace in her domestic duties as wife and mother, but as life becomes more complicated and messy, she starts to unravel.

I did not read Baby Teeth and had no trouble catching up and reading this as a stand alone. The author expertly weaves enough broad strokes from Hanna’s past that I was able to understand the full story. I am easily entertained by stories containing sociopaths who are trying to fit into the world. Hanna’s story started out pretty tame but she becomes much more diabolical as her world starts to spin out of her control.
And I did not guess the ending, quite the twist!

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on August 13, 2024