Horror Review: Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Here's one for all of you creepy kid lovers


Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
Horror Fiction
Released July 2018
Amazon | Goodreads | Better World Books 
Sweetness can be deceptive. 

Meet Hanna.

She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.

Meet Suzette.

She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.

My Thoughts:

What would you do if you wanted nothing more out of life than to be a good, loving mom – everything your own mother wasn’t - and then you give birth to a beloved baby who grows into a monster that wants you dead?

“Make mommy go away and never come back.”

This is the horrible dilemma facing Suzette, a woman already with a lot of horror on her plate. She’s overcome a childhood of neglect and emotional abuse and now lives with Crohn's disease and the chronic and debilitating side effects that sap her energy, along with the fear that one surgery too many will leave her with a colostomy bag. She’s doing her best to raise Hanna, who remains purposely mute at the age of seven, with love but it’s difficult to love a child who despises you and undercuts you whenever the opportunity arises. Suzette’s husband is completely unaware of Hanna’s evil streak because Hanna is a master manipulator who has him wrapped around her little finger. And that’s just how Hanna likes it. Hanna loves her dad so much she wants to marry him and mommy is in the way . . . Yes, we are diving deep into weird V.C. Andrews territory here and it’s amazing!

I know this is going to make me sound strange but I have to say it, I LOVED this little monster and was one million percent thankful that she wasn’t mine because I have zero patience for that and might’ve had to run away forever. Hanna doesn’t speak aloud (in English, anyway) but all of her loathsome and strange thoughts are shared with us and she is one heck of a twisted, creepy kid who knows how to work the adults that surround her. Her character fascinated me. Her thoughts were so terrible and so deliciously evil that I didn’t want to turn away. Her mother was interesting as well with her tortured and conflicted thoughts toward her child. Dad was a bit of a pushover but I guess he had to be in order for this story to work.

“I promise I’ll be good.”

Sadly the end is bit disappointing. Everything was leading me to believe a big, awful thing was going to happen but instead the book ended with a rather lame little fizzle. Please tell me there is going to be another book and that all of the horrible, terrible things I imagined will actually happen in it because I will hit that buy button the moment it is released!


Comments

  1. Too bad about that ending. I hate when that happens.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, it was a bit of a bummer but still a good read overall.

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  2. Sounds like a poor ending for something you were enjoying! Me, I don't like kids and never wanted any and reading about Hanna reminds me why!

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  3. Loved your review! I have this on my list. And I'm thrilled you liked it.

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  4. I have yet to read this one but so want to. I am so glad you enjoyed it. Don't tell me the ending. I don't like fizzlies...I like big endings. Still one that is on my list tho!

    Mary

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    Replies
    1. Read it! I think you'll enjoy it. I truly did enjoy it but the evil in me wanted a bit more at the end. I hope you'll love it.

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  5. This book was a trip! And Hanna- wooh that kid scared me lol. I've seen other reviewers disappointed w/ the ending too, but I thought it was kinda chilling, the way she was going to... well I better not say, spoilery I guess, but yeah. Watch out people! And I almost felt sorry for her at the end, after that phone call, but then I was like what? You can't feel sorry for her! Ha ha

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    Replies
    1. Haha, it's an easy ending to spoil. I guess I'm greedy because I want more :)

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  6. I'm excited to hear this book is good! I'm saddened to hear the ending fizzled.

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    Replies
    1. It's alright. I filled in the gaps with my imagination :)

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  7. I totally loved this book. I think the end was like that because there could be a sequel coming. If not YES I'm totally with you! So disappointing! My review is coming up soon! :)

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    Replies
    1. I hope you're right and that a sequel is coming someday!

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  8. I listened to this on audiobook format and Hannah was so creepy that I enjoyed her. Like you I didn't care for the ending.

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    Replies
    1. It was nowhere as bleak as I'd hoped it might be, lol.

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