Day: July 2, 2018

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Author: Zoje Stage
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

To Be Published: July 17, 2018
Audiobook

Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: June 21-28, 2018
Jessica’s Rating:  
Novel: 4 stars
Audio Narration: 5 stars

Book Description from Amazon:

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.

Jessica’s Review:

We have all seen movies or read books with creepy kids in them, and now you can add another to the list! Hanna is more than creepy, she is pure evil! This child will make you think twice about having children.

We have two points of view in Baby Teeth: Hanna and Suzette. There is no mistaking whose narration is whose.  The chapters alternate between Hanna and Suzette.

Hanna loves her Daddy more than anything; in fact she wants it to be just her and Daddy with no Mommy.  Hanna will go to great lengths to get Mommy (Suzette) out of the picture permanently. And she evolves in her methods as the novel progresses.  I had no idea how this book was going to end: and I am ready for more story, I hope Stage writes another!

This will not be a book for everyone.  The various things that Hanna does could be very disturbing to some.  And it’s not just Suzette that she hurts. Hanna will do anything she possibly can got get what she ultimately wants: Suzette gone.

Hanna is mute and plays the sweet angel to Daddy (Alex) while she is a complete 180 around Suzette. None of the characters are really likeable, they all have their problems.  I had issues with all of the Jenson (pronounced Yensen) family. Yes, Suzette is frustrated and frightened, but to heavily curse at her daughter?!?  If she could rewind the clock, you know what her decision about having a child would be.  Alex is just ignorant to everything and doesn’t listen to what his wife is trying to tell him. It’s right there staring him in the face but all he sees is an angel! In a way, Hanna is my favorite character as she really is pure evil! I loved the character but wanted her to get what is coming to her. I’m stuck in the middle between #TeamHanna or #TeamSuzette.  I really enjoyed Baby Teeth.

The Audiobook Narration:

I listen to many audiobooks, but don’t usually mention the narrator. The narrator to Baby Teeth is Gabra Zackman and she was wonderful! She had Alex’s Swedish accent down and pronounced the words in the way I would have not have been able to do. She played Suzette’s frustration perfectly and Hanna…. OMG, you could just hear and feel the hated in her narration!  Bravo, Gabra Zackman on a well done narration!

I give Baby Teeth 4 stars and the narration 5 stars! I would say listen to the audiobook versus reading it: the narration is that good! (Plus, the Swedish words are read to you versus you attempting to read it incorrectly in your head.)

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillian Audio for my audio and physical arcs. Baby Teeth was a pleasure to listen to and review!

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
**You can read the first 10 chapters for FREE now! To get a taste of Baby Teeth get the sampler here.

Amazon UK
Please note: Baby Teeth is being released in the UK as Bad Apple.  It will be released on August 9th.