I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about Baby Teeth by Celia Silvani. Thank you to Orion for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It is supposed to be a dream. James and I have been trying for years. But now it is starting to feel like a nightmare. Doctors don’t ask questions, or care about how you’re feeling. They just tell you what to do. They never listen.
Mam and James don’t understand either. James thinks I’m being anxious and Mam says it’ll pass. It always does. That’s what she did when Dad died. I’ve never felt more alone. Or scared.
Then I joined an online group for mothers. A sisterhood, really. They might be on a screen, but sometimes it feels like they know me better than James. They listen, they care. It’s all I could have asked for.
Until the worst happens and I see them for who they are. But if I leave, what if they come for me next?
Publication Date: 6th February
CW: death, miscarriage, grief, infertility, manipulation
My Thoughts:
Baby Teeth was a brilliant, bizarre and twisted look at an Internet cult with plenty to say about parenthood, the expectations placed on women and the imbalance of power throughout.
This was an unsettling reading experience as Claire gets pulled further and further into this all-consuming community. Claire is isolated and scared, fixated on her dream of having a baby and affected deeply by her dad’s death. She is heartfelt and trusting with a sense of naivety that endears you to her, even as she makes decisions that make you want to shout no at her. This online community offers the friendship and companionship she is desperate for. Their advice and support is wonderful, especially in her fears around parenthood. However, as an outsider, I felt unnerved by their disregard for certain factors and we know from the first few pages that this will not end happily. It becomes a claustrophobic echo chamber with horrifying consequences.
Silvani’s writing is so compelling, but with a sharp undercurrent that touches on important subjects. There is a lot to unpack around medical misogny, freedom of choice and the emotions associated with parenthood. It would make for an excellent book club pick, with plenty of conversation topics kickstarted. As you may expect, there is discussion around various factors that come into play, so please check content warnings as needed. It is handled with sensitivity across different experiences and perspectives. Throughout reading, you have the sense of being on a train hurtling fast towards disaster. There is a hum of foreboding, which Silvani conveys excellently.
Baby Teeth cuts deep with an insightful and incisive examination of all-consuming communities, parenthood and the way misogyny is woven into our society.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Pieces of Us by Stewart Foster. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As the summer before college begins, Jonas is hiding a secret. He suffers with bulimia, but no one knows. Not even he knows how bad it really is.
Until he meets Louis, a confident dreamer who believes in a better future for Jonas and together they enjoy a sun-kissed summer filled with music, memories and life-changing moments.
But when tragedy strikes, Jonas must decide if he has the strength to face things alone…
Publication Date: 27th February
CW: homophobia, death, grief, eating disorder
My Thoughts:
Pieces of Us was a poignant, beautifully written book that really hit home for me.
This was such an impactful and gorgeously crafted book, with a story that will resonate with so many readers. Foster examines some difficult topics here, so do be mindful of content warnings, but it is done with clear heart and sensitivity. These are things that teenagers are facing and they deserve to see themselves reflected authentically on the page. This is a book unafraid to handle hard discussions. Foster faces it with grit and determination, unflinching in the face of difficulty. It explores mental health, grief, homophobia and classism in particular – all topics that deserve to be shouted about.
It is hard-hitting and tough, but shines because of how wonderfully Foster fleshes out our central characters. Even though we start in a place of raw grief, we become invested in these people and their story. We know how it will end but wish for it to end differently anyway. It is an exquisite modern tragedy, full of love and beauty amongst the darkness. Jonas and Louis are these complicated teenagers trying to find their place, drawn together by a spark that grows into a flame. Their dynamic was rich and heart-warming, sharing highs and lows together. I love the way music influenced their relationship, adding another textural layer to the story. There is a throughline about performance and the appearance we present to the world versus the reality hiding beneath. Both Jonas and Louis are hiding their own secrets that could change their lives forever.
Pieces of Us was a wonderful exploration of friendship, love, mental health and grief.
Finally, I’d like to delve into That’ll Teach Her by Maz Evans. Thank you to Headline for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
As educators go, Claudia Stitchwell makes Miss Hannigan look like Miss Honey. But when the reviled headteacher drops dead in the school hall, a group of sceptical parents suspect the nut allergy explanation doesn’t add up – they believe someone wanted to teach Miss Stitchwell a lesson.
Only four people could have killed Stitchwell: Hattie, the adored school cook; Kiera, the hard-working teaching assistant; Clive, the loathed school bursar and Ben, the popular deputy head. All of them are liars… but only one is the murderer.
Piecing together evidence from the daily drama and drudgery of the parents’ group chat, local press, police reports, school newsletters, and good, old-fashioned gossip, the determined detective parents are doing their homework to crack the case.
Will you spot the clues? Can you deduce whodunnit? And for the love of all things holy, does anyone have this week’s spellings?
Publication Date: 27th February
CW: death, murder, abuse, sexual harassment, sexism, classism, infidelity
My Thoughts:
That’ll Teach Her is a fantastic murder mystery that combines deft humour and characterisation with a nefariously good plot.
Maz Evans just cemented herself as a must-read author for me. Between this and the brilliant Over My Dead Body, her darkly comic and wonderfully inventive mysteries are compelling, charismatic and conniving. This was another excellent outing.
I love a mystery that takes an innovative approach to its narrative stylings, particularly if it has multi-media elements. Here, Evans weaves in snippets and excerpts from various Whatsapp chats. She perfectly captures that passive-aggressive snideness of a parents’ group chat. It was delicious reading, especially seeing the contrasting messages in off-shoot side groups against what they would say to everyone. We also get transcripts of police interviews with suspects, creating a complex tapestry of truth and lies surrounding the central death. This combines the mixed media stylings and wickedly sharp mysteries of Janice Hallett, with Evans’ excellent humour and observational wit. It genuinely made me cackle with how true to life it was. You can recognise all of these types instantly.
The actual mystery is so well-constructed as well. You get pulled in and Evans leads you down rabbit holes. There are plenty of fiendish tricks and turns to get caught up in. It has a darkness to proceedings that is chilling, particularly with some of the later developments in the plot. Claudia Stitchwell is a piece of work. You start to question who she wouldn’t hurt or what she wouldn’t do to keep the stellar reputation of her school intact. There is the additional factors of class and privilege coming into play too, with the elitism and expectations of private schooling amplifying the tension. All sorts of assumptions feed into the narrative and also create humour in the group chat messages.
That’ll Teach Her is a sharp and socially conscious murder mystery with a wicked smirk on its face. Evans delivers another addictive read.
A Short Book Lover 
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