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Milk, Bread, Teeth
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27'Gluttonous, audacious and altogether a delectable work of genius' Lucy Rose
Lena's body is no longer her own. It is occupied by a growing appetite, a hunger that demands to be fed. From inside her luxury apartment, Lena tries to appease it gorging herself day and night. Whole loaves of bread, protein shakes - tins of cat food if all else fails.
When Joan, an actress on the cusp of stardom, moves into the apartment above, Lena is quick to make friends. She soon finds herself in Joan's orbit enjoying the trappings of wealth and privilege, the kind she has always pined for. But with the hunger demanding more and more, Lena's carefully constructed image of herself starts to unravel. And as her appetite veers into the inedible, she must fight to remember who she is.
Milk, Bread Teeth is an unflinching exploration of dissatisfaction and loneliness, a deliciously grim and transgressive tale that draws the reader into a frenzy of insatiable desire and consumption. It's a propulsive and shocking novel that is inspired by Amy's experiences with chronic illness and her place in publishing as a working-class woman.
Lena's body is no longer her own. It is occupied by a growing appetite, a hunger that demands to be fed. From inside her luxury apartment, Lena tries to appease it gorging herself day and night. Whole loaves of bread, protein shakes - tins of cat food if all else fails.
When Joan, an actress on the cusp of stardom, moves into the apartment above, Lena is quick to make friends. She soon finds herself in Joan's orbit enjoying the trappings of wealth and privilege, the kind she has always pined for. But with the hunger demanding more and more, Lena's carefully constructed image of herself starts to unravel. And as her appetite veers into the inedible, she must fight to remember who she is.
Milk, Bread Teeth is an unflinching exploration of dissatisfaction and loneliness, a deliciously grim and transgressive tale that draws the reader into a frenzy of insatiable desire and consumption. It's a propulsive and shocking novel that is inspired by Amy's experiences with chronic illness and her place in publishing as a working-class woman.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 19, 2027
About the author
Amy Twigg
3 books85 followersAmy Twigg is a writer, born and raised in Kent. Her debut novel Spoilt Creatures won the BPA Pitch Prize and was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition. It was acquired by Tinder Press as one of their lead fiction titles, due to be published in June 2024.
In 2024 she was chosen as one of the Observer's Best New Novelists.
Amy lives in Surrey, England.
In 2024 she was chosen as one of the Observer's Best New Novelists.
Amy lives in Surrey, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
originally i was leaning more towards a 3.5/3.75 but now that i've had time to digest Milk, Bread, Teeth *ba dum tss*, i'm leaning more 3.25/3.5 so i'm rounding down for gr.
first of all, that ending? sooo satisfying & unhinged, which automatically bumped the rating of this up a bit. however, the longer i sit & think about the book as a whole, the more i realize it kind of did nothing for me. it's not a bad book, but i never really felt any excitement from it either? i honestly just needed MORE!
i think overall Milk, Bread, Teeth is well written & i never found myself struggling with the pacing, which is always a plus. if you're anything like me & love an unhinged, unlikable, or unreliable mc, you'll be happy to meet Lena who is all of those things.
i like the themes this touches on... medical misogyny, overconsumption, dissatisfaction & what we'd do to fit in, to name a few.
my biggest complaint is probably this being marketed as horror. in my humble opinion, this read more like weird girl lit fic with some horror elements here & there, which is fine! i do enjoy a good weird girl fic when i'm in the mood for it BUT because this is mainly being marketed as horror, i expected the horror elements to be a main focus vs. an afterthought.
i've seen a few people talk about the body horror this has to offer & if i'm being honest, i found it pretty boring for my personal taste. i recognize this is more than likely a me thing because i do consume A LOT of horror media, with body horror being a favorite trope/subgenre, so take that as you will. i think Amy Twigg could have really gone there considering what the story is about, but i understand heavy body horror/gore is not everyone's cup of tea.
i will say there was one part in particular that had me say, "oh, well surely that can't be good for Lena," that did scratch that itch of wanting more, but i don't really think it had a purpose other than being included for shock value? like, we didn't really need to go there to get the point across, if that makes sense.
i would have liked more depth when it came to the side characters. most of them felt flat, specifically Angie, like girl, what is your problem?
i think we could have spent more time touching on Caroline as a mom too
even though this didn't go in the direction i was hoping for, i will say it again: that ending was so satisfying, so i can't say i have any complaints there.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
first of all, that ending? sooo satisfying & unhinged, which automatically bumped the rating of this up a bit. however, the longer i sit & think about the book as a whole, the more i realize it kind of did nothing for me. it's not a bad book, but i never really felt any excitement from it either? i honestly just needed MORE!
i think overall Milk, Bread, Teeth is well written & i never found myself struggling with the pacing, which is always a plus. if you're anything like me & love an unhinged, unlikable, or unreliable mc, you'll be happy to meet Lena who is all of those things.
i like the themes this touches on... medical misogyny, overconsumption, dissatisfaction & what we'd do to fit in, to name a few.
my biggest complaint is probably this being marketed as horror. in my humble opinion, this read more like weird girl lit fic with some horror elements here & there, which is fine! i do enjoy a good weird girl fic when i'm in the mood for it BUT because this is mainly being marketed as horror, i expected the horror elements to be a main focus vs. an afterthought.
i've seen a few people talk about the body horror this has to offer & if i'm being honest, i found it pretty boring for my personal taste. i recognize this is more than likely a me thing because i do consume A LOT of horror media, with body horror being a favorite trope/subgenre, so take that as you will. i think Amy Twigg could have really gone there considering what the story is about, but i understand heavy body horror/gore is not everyone's cup of tea.
i will say there was one part in particular that had me say, "oh, well surely that can't be good for Lena," that did scratch that itch of wanting more, but i don't really think it had a purpose other than being included for shock value? like, we didn't really need to go there to get the point across, if that makes sense.
i would have liked more depth when it came to the side characters. most of them felt flat, specifically Angie, like girl, what is your problem?
i think we could have spent more time touching on Caroline as a mom too
even though this didn't go in the direction i was hoping for, i will say it again: that ending was so satisfying, so i can't say i have any complaints there.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
September 6, 2026
"The thing about loneliness isn’t so much about being alone but the endless possibilities it creates."
Okay, so I went into this completely blind. I knew that it was horror and that the end was insane, so that’s really all I needed to hear. I never needed to know anything else.
What we have here is something that made me sick to my stomach and put my anxiety at an all time high. I was on edge through the entirety of this book. Plus that end was one of the most unhinged things that I’ve ever read. I just wish the in-between was a lot better.
Now, this was very well written and the author knew how to add intensity to scenes that you didn’t know needed it. Parts were pure insanity, while others were typical everyday scenarios. Combined made this one crazy story where I never want to make friends ever again nor will I let anyone near my pets every again. I'm sick just thinking about certain things. Ugh!
'Milk, Bread, Teeth' was f**king WILD!!! If you can stomach this then go for it! Most of it was worth it. Otherwise, pop a xanax and chill.
I think this book has ruined me…
Okay, so I went into this completely blind. I knew that it was horror and that the end was insane, so that’s really all I needed to hear. I never needed to know anything else.
What we have here is something that made me sick to my stomach and put my anxiety at an all time high. I was on edge through the entirety of this book. Plus that end was one of the most unhinged things that I’ve ever read. I just wish the in-between was a lot better.
Now, this was very well written and the author knew how to add intensity to scenes that you didn’t know needed it. Parts were pure insanity, while others were typical everyday scenarios. Combined made this one crazy story where I never want to make friends ever again nor will I let anyone near my pets every again. I'm sick just thinking about certain things. Ugh!
'Milk, Bread, Teeth' was f**king WILD!!! If you can stomach this then go for it! Most of it was worth it. Otherwise, pop a xanax and chill.
I think this book has ruined me…
July 27, 2026
*Review of an ARC. Thank you so much to Headline for sending me a copy.
Currently kicking my feet and giggling with glee at the body horror in this book. Amy really went there… and I’m thrilled. A book where the intrusive thoughts win.
Stunning writing and character work. Reflects so deeply the rage inducing experience of medical misogyny and trying to regain control over a body you feel detached from. This was everything that I wanted it to be and more. Amy has just catapulted herself to the top spot of literary, body horror queen.
Currently kicking my feet and giggling with glee at the body horror in this book. Amy really went there… and I’m thrilled. A book where the intrusive thoughts win.
Stunning writing and character work. Reflects so deeply the rage inducing experience of medical misogyny and trying to regain control over a body you feel detached from. This was everything that I wanted it to be and more. Amy has just catapulted herself to the top spot of literary, body horror queen.
August 24, 2026
TW: Body Horror - This book was unhinged and VERY disturbing, but in the best ways. Lena is not the best person but you find yourself relating to her and her inner dialogue at times. The build up is a bit slow, but it makes more sense for the plot versus starting off too strong. You might think this book is just unsettling and weird, but I like that it shines a line on everyday problems we all face, like medical misogyny and trying to fit in, while also feeding the weird girl horror aspect! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
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July 29, 2026well that was disturbing only read if you don’t mind cannibalism, I do
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A doctor dismissed her symptoms. Her symptoms ate her.
That was the thought that had me throwing up, crying, throwing up after finishing Milk, Bread, Teeth by Amy Twigg, a darkly funny, deeply uncomfortable novel about chronic illness, medical misogyny, class, and what happens when you know something is wrong with you but you don’t know how to make someone else understand it.
Lena knows something isn’t right. She seeks medical help. She asks questions. She pushes for something to be done. She wants things to change. But Lena doesn’t tell the doctor about the inexplicable hunger taking over her life.
That detail was the real kicker because Lena isn’t withholding because she doesn’t want help. She withholds because she does. She knows how it will sound. Somehow Lena has already learned the rules of credibility. Tell them something is wrong but do not say anything that sounds like you’ve entered your delusion era. And it’s complicated because Lena is not the most reliable person.
She’s financially dependent but pretends she isn’t. She’s quiet quitting her job so hard. Maxxing out her sister’s boyfriend’s plastic. She lies, performs, makes terrible decisions. When she falls into the orbit of her new upstairs neighbour, the actress Joan, Lena attempts to construct a version of herself that can belong in Joan’s world, but in her anxiety of being perceived by Joan’s friends, she becomes more chaotic and honestly infuriating. But being unreliable about your life doesn’t make you an unreliable witness to what’s happening to your own body. She consistently tells the truth about one thing: something is wrong with me.
She doesn’t know what it is. Neither do we.
For the record, her BMI is in the healthy range.
I love that the author resists giving us that clean distinction between physical illness and psychological distress because you can be wrong about what’s wrong with you and still be right that something is wrong.
And then what do you know, her body starts dropping receipts.
Her need to feed expeditiously grows increasingly extreme and almost impossible to reconcile with ordinary appetite. She crosses boundaries. The receipts start piling up, but the paradox at the centre of it all is that the more receipts that show something is wrong, the less Lena resembles the kind of patient whose account is likely to be trusted.
I think this is where Milk, Bread, Teeth really stands on business. The author doesn’t give us the perfect patient. Lena is messy. She withholds information. Her anxiety complicates medical encounters. Her behaviour becomes increasingly difficult to understand. But the novel asks us to take her suffering seriously without first requiring Lena to become a more credible patient.
And underneath all of this is class. While her body is getting crazy intense to control, she’s also trying to control the version of herself other people see. Her relationship with Joan turns Lena’s consumption social and aspirational as well as physical. She wants food. She wants things. She wants access. She wants another kind of life.
That’s the trap at the centre of this book.
She wants change, and the symptom she most needs help understanding is the one she feels least able to articulate because she knows that telling the whole truth might make her less believable, easier to dismiss.
Milk, Bread, Teeth is a darkly funny, uncomfortable, disturbing read with increasingly feral body horror. And underneath all the consumption, I found a nuanced exploration of illness and credibility that hit a little too close to home.
Lena knows something is wrong. She knows better than to tell them how wrong.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for sending me an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
It ate. No crumbs.
That was the thought that had me throwing up, crying, throwing up after finishing Milk, Bread, Teeth by Amy Twigg, a darkly funny, deeply uncomfortable novel about chronic illness, medical misogyny, class, and what happens when you know something is wrong with you but you don’t know how to make someone else understand it.
Lena knows something isn’t right. She seeks medical help. She asks questions. She pushes for something to be done. She wants things to change. But Lena doesn’t tell the doctor about the inexplicable hunger taking over her life.
That detail was the real kicker because Lena isn’t withholding because she doesn’t want help. She withholds because she does. She knows how it will sound. Somehow Lena has already learned the rules of credibility. Tell them something is wrong but do not say anything that sounds like you’ve entered your delusion era. And it’s complicated because Lena is not the most reliable person.
She’s financially dependent but pretends she isn’t. She’s quiet quitting her job so hard. Maxxing out her sister’s boyfriend’s plastic. She lies, performs, makes terrible decisions. When she falls into the orbit of her new upstairs neighbour, the actress Joan, Lena attempts to construct a version of herself that can belong in Joan’s world, but in her anxiety of being perceived by Joan’s friends, she becomes more chaotic and honestly infuriating. But being unreliable about your life doesn’t make you an unreliable witness to what’s happening to your own body. She consistently tells the truth about one thing: something is wrong with me.
She doesn’t know what it is. Neither do we.
For the record, her BMI is in the healthy range.
I love that the author resists giving us that clean distinction between physical illness and psychological distress because you can be wrong about what’s wrong with you and still be right that something is wrong.
And then what do you know, her body starts dropping receipts.
Her need to feed expeditiously grows increasingly extreme and almost impossible to reconcile with ordinary appetite. She crosses boundaries. The receipts start piling up, but the paradox at the centre of it all is that the more receipts that show something is wrong, the less Lena resembles the kind of patient whose account is likely to be trusted.
I think this is where Milk, Bread, Teeth really stands on business. The author doesn’t give us the perfect patient. Lena is messy. She withholds information. Her anxiety complicates medical encounters. Her behaviour becomes increasingly difficult to understand. But the novel asks us to take her suffering seriously without first requiring Lena to become a more credible patient.
And underneath all of this is class. While her body is getting crazy intense to control, she’s also trying to control the version of herself other people see. Her relationship with Joan turns Lena’s consumption social and aspirational as well as physical. She wants food. She wants things. She wants access. She wants another kind of life.
That’s the trap at the centre of this book.
She wants change, and the symptom she most needs help understanding is the one she feels least able to articulate because she knows that telling the whole truth might make her less believable, easier to dismiss.
Milk, Bread, Teeth is a darkly funny, uncomfortable, disturbing read with increasingly feral body horror. And underneath all the consumption, I found a nuanced exploration of illness and credibility that hit a little too close to home.
Lena knows something is wrong. She knows better than to tell them how wrong.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for sending me an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
It ate. No crumbs.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Milk, Bread, Teeth before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I’m going to be honest: I requested this book because the premise sounded absolutely wild, and it did not disappoint.
Lena is lonely, isolated and increasingly dissatisfied with her life when she develops a hunger that simply cannot be satisfied. What starts with ordinary food quickly becomes something much darker and far more disturbing. At the same time, Lena becomes increasingly fascinated by her new upstairs neighbour, Joan, an aspiring actress whose life seems to represent everything Lena wishes she had. As her hunger intensifies and her obsession grows, the two become tangled together in increasingly unsettling ways.
This book is WEIRD. And I mean that as a compliment.
Amy Twigg has created a deeply uncomfortable piece of body horror that had me simultaneously wanting to know what would happen next and wondering whether I should perhaps put the book down and stare at a wall for a while. There are some genuinely stomach-churning moments, and the further Lena descends, the more difficult it becomes to look away.
But underneath all the horror and questionable meals, there is something much more interesting happening. Milk, Bread, Teeth explores loneliness, desire, class, obsession and, most importantly, what happens when a woman knows something is wrong with her body but nobody seems willing to listen. Lena's experiences with doctors and being dismissed are particularly effective, adding an uncomfortable layer of realism to an otherwise completely unhinged story.
I also really enjoyed the way Lena is written. She isn't necessarily likeable, and she makes plenty of questionable decisions, but that made her all the more fascinating. I found myself constantly torn between wanting to understand her, wanting to shake her and desperately needing to know just how far this hunger was going to take her.
The writing is wonderfully unsettling, with a creeping sense of dread that builds as Lena's situation spirals further and further out of control. There were definitely moments when I thought, Okay, Amy Twigg has officially gone too far — only to keep reading anyway.
Sadly, I couldn't get this file sent to my Kindle, which was genuinely tragic because I would have absolutely devoured it. So now I'm looking forward to the physical release, because this is one I definitely want to own.
Milk, Bread, Teeth is disturbing, strange, compulsive and completely unforgettable. If you like weird fiction, body horror and stories about women behaving increasingly badly while something deeply wrong is happening beneath the surface, add this one to your TBR.
Just maybe don't read it while you're eating.
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
I’m going to be honest: I requested this book because the premise sounded absolutely wild, and it did not disappoint.
Lena is lonely, isolated and increasingly dissatisfied with her life when she develops a hunger that simply cannot be satisfied. What starts with ordinary food quickly becomes something much darker and far more disturbing. At the same time, Lena becomes increasingly fascinated by her new upstairs neighbour, Joan, an aspiring actress whose life seems to represent everything Lena wishes she had. As her hunger intensifies and her obsession grows, the two become tangled together in increasingly unsettling ways.
This book is WEIRD. And I mean that as a compliment.
Amy Twigg has created a deeply uncomfortable piece of body horror that had me simultaneously wanting to know what would happen next and wondering whether I should perhaps put the book down and stare at a wall for a while. There are some genuinely stomach-churning moments, and the further Lena descends, the more difficult it becomes to look away.
But underneath all the horror and questionable meals, there is something much more interesting happening. Milk, Bread, Teeth explores loneliness, desire, class, obsession and, most importantly, what happens when a woman knows something is wrong with her body but nobody seems willing to listen. Lena's experiences with doctors and being dismissed are particularly effective, adding an uncomfortable layer of realism to an otherwise completely unhinged story.
I also really enjoyed the way Lena is written. She isn't necessarily likeable, and she makes plenty of questionable decisions, but that made her all the more fascinating. I found myself constantly torn between wanting to understand her, wanting to shake her and desperately needing to know just how far this hunger was going to take her.
The writing is wonderfully unsettling, with a creeping sense of dread that builds as Lena's situation spirals further and further out of control. There were definitely moments when I thought, Okay, Amy Twigg has officially gone too far — only to keep reading anyway.
Sadly, I couldn't get this file sent to my Kindle, which was genuinely tragic because I would have absolutely devoured it. So now I'm looking forward to the physical release, because this is one I definitely want to own.
Milk, Bread, Teeth is disturbing, strange, compulsive and completely unforgettable. If you like weird fiction, body horror and stories about women behaving increasingly badly while something deeply wrong is happening beneath the surface, add this one to your TBR.
Just maybe don't read it while you're eating.
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
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July 30, 2026*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Milk, Bread, Teeth follows Lena as she develops an urge to consume. She is constantly hungry and never sated. Lena is lucky enough to live in a luxury apartment and she gets up eating all day and night. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with her and she’s even gone to drastic lengths to fulfil her hunger such as eating wet pet food. Lena makes friends with a woman called Joan when she moves into the apartment above. Joan is everything Lena wants to be but being surrounded by privilege doesn’t help when Lena’s hunger grows. Lena’s life starts to unravel and she must go to extreme lengths to fulfil her hunger and discover who she truly is.
To be completely honest, I just don’t get this book. I wanted to read this as I thought it might be similar to The Lamb by Lucy Rose which I loved but this just didn’t work for me. I never connected to Lena and everything felt very surface level. I never understood why Lena was so hungry. This book just doesn’t feel new, the themes have been done before in books a lot better than this and it feels like the author is trying to say something but never quite gets there. I was bored with this and whilst I tend to enjoy books that involve consumption, this was a bit too disgusting for me. Without giving away spoilers, I don’t want to read about someone eating pet food or body parts. This just left me feeling nothing and I’m sad about that because this had a lot of promise. I don’t want to be completely negative though as this will work for some people so I will still recommend this. This is written well and Lena has a complicated relationship with her mother which was interesting to explore.
Milk, Bread, Teeth follows Lena as she develops an urge to consume. She is constantly hungry and never sated. Lena is lucky enough to live in a luxury apartment and she gets up eating all day and night. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with her and she’s even gone to drastic lengths to fulfil her hunger such as eating wet pet food. Lena makes friends with a woman called Joan when she moves into the apartment above. Joan is everything Lena wants to be but being surrounded by privilege doesn’t help when Lena’s hunger grows. Lena’s life starts to unravel and she must go to extreme lengths to fulfil her hunger and discover who she truly is.
To be completely honest, I just don’t get this book. I wanted to read this as I thought it might be similar to The Lamb by Lucy Rose which I loved but this just didn’t work for me. I never connected to Lena and everything felt very surface level. I never understood why Lena was so hungry. This book just doesn’t feel new, the themes have been done before in books a lot better than this and it feels like the author is trying to say something but never quite gets there. I was bored with this and whilst I tend to enjoy books that involve consumption, this was a bit too disgusting for me. Without giving away spoilers, I don’t want to read about someone eating pet food or body parts. This just left me feeling nothing and I’m sad about that because this had a lot of promise. I don’t want to be completely negative though as this will work for some people so I will still recommend this. This is written well and Lena has a complicated relationship with her mother which was interesting to explore.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25⭐️📱
This was very enjoyable, it was a quick and (easy?) read with an engaging storyline. However at times it felt half-baked.
Lena essentially loses control of herself, and is ignored by everyone when she seeks help. Her gradual submission to her desires was delightful to read (but equally disturbing).
The pacing felt a bit disjointed at times. Tense moments with Joan where I had to keep reading, and others where it was just repetition. One moment Lena would be completely entrapped by her hunger, and the next she would be fine.
I really enjoyed the concept of Valarie as a character, however she simply disappeared for large chunks of the book. She was used as a device to show Lena’s tendency to take what she has for granted. I would be fine with this, if Valarie had any sense of personality…
Despite this, I really liked this book. I think it perfectly depicted the feeling of being too scared to confront your own problems. It shows how completely relying on other people/things sets you up for failure. It details how people with chronic illness are oftentimes overlooked.
Without going into specifics, some moments definitely felt like they were just for shock value. I also thought that Caroline was not developed to her full potential.
I feel like I’m spending so much time on the negatives, but I swear it’s a good book!! I can genuinely see why this would be a five star book for other people, and I will definitely be recommending it to others.
This was very enjoyable, it was a quick and (easy?) read with an engaging storyline. However at times it felt half-baked.
Lena essentially loses control of herself, and is ignored by everyone when she seeks help. Her gradual submission to her desires was delightful to read (but equally disturbing).
The pacing felt a bit disjointed at times. Tense moments with Joan where I had to keep reading, and others where it was just repetition. One moment Lena would be completely entrapped by her hunger, and the next she would be fine.
I really enjoyed the concept of Valarie as a character, however she simply disappeared for large chunks of the book. She was used as a device to show Lena’s tendency to take what she has for granted. I would be fine with this, if Valarie had any sense of personality…
Despite this, I really liked this book. I think it perfectly depicted the feeling of being too scared to confront your own problems. It shows how completely relying on other people/things sets you up for failure. It details how people with chronic illness are oftentimes overlooked.
Without going into specifics, some moments definitely felt like they were just for shock value. I also thought that Caroline was not developed to her full potential.
I feel like I’m spending so much time on the negatives, but I swear it’s a good book!! I can genuinely see why this would be a five star book for other people, and I will definitely be recommending it to others.
July 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
First off erm… literally screaming, crying, throwing up. This is one of the most stomach turning books I have read. I think I was lulled into a false sense of security by being mildly confused but happy to go along with it until things got really seriously unhinged when Lena’s hunger escalated from insatiable to literally boundless. Really chilling and visceral imagery that has stuck with me and has left me feeling horrified hours after reading it.
Fantastic writing and characterisation, and the plot is super original. I will definitely check out the author’s debut novel.
As well as being a really disturbing and chilling story, I found this novel a super interesting rumination on women’s experiences of healthcare.
4.25⭐️, definitely not for the squeamish or those easily put off their food. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed this but it was a compelling read and masterfully written.
First off erm… literally screaming, crying, throwing up. This is one of the most stomach turning books I have read. I think I was lulled into a false sense of security by being mildly confused but happy to go along with it until things got really seriously unhinged when Lena’s hunger escalated from insatiable to literally boundless. Really chilling and visceral imagery that has stuck with me and has left me feeling horrified hours after reading it.
Fantastic writing and characterisation, and the plot is super original. I will definitely check out the author’s debut novel.
As well as being a really disturbing and chilling story, I found this novel a super interesting rumination on women’s experiences of healthcare.
4.25⭐️, definitely not for the squeamish or those easily put off their food. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed this but it was a compelling read and masterfully written.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
Appeal factors: weird girl fiction, similar to night bitch, social pressure, body horror, increasing panic
As a newcomer to Twigg's writing I'm a huge fan. Lena is an unhinged and generally unlikeable protagonist, but one you still hope will turn out ok in the end. She works a dead end job, and phones in most of her experiences, scrolling mindlessly, and eating mindlessly. This eating turns into an overwhelming hunger that begins to ruin her life, all while she becomes more obsessive and odd.
I love weird girl fiction!!! I love unlikeable characters that are unique and gross and well written! You know an author has done a good job when you start getting hungry during an objectively gross book. Near the end I thought, "oh I hope she sticks the landing and goes weird" and she sure does! She doesn't shy away from any gut punch scenes, and the underlying message of overconsumption and making yourself palatable to others is "delicious" (pun pun pun)
Appeal factors: weird girl fiction, similar to night bitch, social pressure, body horror, increasing panic
As a newcomer to Twigg's writing I'm a huge fan. Lena is an unhinged and generally unlikeable protagonist, but one you still hope will turn out ok in the end. She works a dead end job, and phones in most of her experiences, scrolling mindlessly, and eating mindlessly. This eating turns into an overwhelming hunger that begins to ruin her life, all while she becomes more obsessive and odd.
I love weird girl fiction!!! I love unlikeable characters that are unique and gross and well written! You know an author has done a good job when you start getting hungry during an objectively gross book. Near the end I thought, "oh I hope she sticks the landing and goes weird" and she sure does! She doesn't shy away from any gut punch scenes, and the underlying message of overconsumption and making yourself palatable to others is "delicious" (pun pun pun)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is my second book by Amy Twigg and I'm just rendered speechless by it. Twigg has written a nasty, disgusting, evocative, revolting piece of fiction that is incredibly uncomfortable to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Twigg tests the limits of what a reader can put up with and as you hurtle towards the ending, it crescendos in a way that is rewarding. While this is an addition to the 'weird girl' or 'rot girl' literary genre, in some ways I feel it transcends the genre by going beyond what you would expect. Hunger and eating are such primal aspects of our lives and to read how Twigg plays with these topics is beyond unsettling. On a deeper level, Twigg examines loneliness, abandonment, the artifice of luxury, and even the difficulty of medical diagnosis for a woman. There is so much more to uncover in this book, but on finishing it, all I can say is that this the nastiest book I've read in a while.
September 11, 2026
Milk, Bread, Teeth by Amy Twigg is a wild, visceral, and deeply unsettling novel that completely subverts expectations. I flew through this book, entirely gripped by Lena’s unhinged yet painfully relatable struggle with desperation, chronic pain, and the primal need to be heard. The body horror elements are raw and haunting, acting as powerful allegories for internal anguish.
While the story is intensely captivating, a few side plots, particularly Joan’s arc, felt like they fizzled out near the end rather than reaching a definitive resolution. However, the sheer force of Lena’s voice and the dark, atmospheric tension keep you hooked from start to finish.
This is a fantastic, feral read for anyone who appreciates complex, deeply flawed protagonists and dark, atmospheric stories. Just be sure to check content warnings for animal harm before diving in!
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for the ARC.
While the story is intensely captivating, a few side plots, particularly Joan’s arc, felt like they fizzled out near the end rather than reaching a definitive resolution. However, the sheer force of Lena’s voice and the dark, atmospheric tension keep you hooked from start to finish.
This is a fantastic, feral read for anyone who appreciates complex, deeply flawed protagonists and dark, atmospheric stories. Just be sure to check content warnings for animal harm before diving in!
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley.
4*25
Grim, disquieting and - crucially - subtle. I admire and appreciate the creeping unease that attends the narrative, the narrator's mounting desperation; the inexorable escalation of each alongside the other and how effectively these elements combine to produce genuine tension.
Also notable is how sensitively the author approaches the narrator's compulsive eating, with the affliction not merely utilised as a device, but instead presented as something debilitating which places significant strain on the character's mental health, thereby contributing to her increasing struggles.
The horror herein isnt gluttony, but rather how someone afflicted with inexplicable urges and/or unexplained symptoms often receives judgement in place of compassion.
Gotesquerie that challenges one's preconceptions over their constitution. (To a point...) Brava!
4*25
Grim, disquieting and - crucially - subtle. I admire and appreciate the creeping unease that attends the narrative, the narrator's mounting desperation; the inexorable escalation of each alongside the other and how effectively these elements combine to produce genuine tension.
Also notable is how sensitively the author approaches the narrator's compulsive eating, with the affliction not merely utilised as a device, but instead presented as something debilitating which places significant strain on the character's mental health, thereby contributing to her increasing struggles.
The horror herein isnt gluttony, but rather how someone afflicted with inexplicable urges and/or unexplained symptoms often receives judgement in place of compassion.
Gotesquerie that challenges one's preconceptions over their constitution. (To a point...) Brava!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Milk, Bread, Teeth is an unsettling amalgamation of The Substance adjacent horror mixed with Mary by Nat Cassidy levels of inflection on motherhood and society's roles of women. I think the abject dumbing down of social media, our desire to go viral and what we do to get there, and the overconsumption of products in general in this day and age is displayed in a way that doesn't shove political correctness in your face. Reading this one made me feel exactly how I felt watching the Paris Hilton Carl's Jr. commercial- you can't look away, but did we NEED this? I could not get enough of how horrifying it felt to relate to Lena and her desire and desperation for MORE. The body horror was truly grotesque- I flinched at several parts, and the end made me feel somewhat faint. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I ate this one UP (heh). Milk, Bread, Teeth is deeply unsettling and generally quite gross. The grossness starts off amusing but steadily escalates to extreme, so this is probably not for the particularly squeamish. But it’s not just making you uncomfortable for the sake of it. There are a lot of themes packed in—medical misogyny, chronic illness, bodily autonomy, overconsumption, desire, obsession, feeling like an outsider, childhood trauma… to name A FEW—but it never feels crowded or like it’s trying to do too much. It’s extremely well-written in a frank yet often beautiful style, and it surprisingly got few chuckles out of me with the occasional sprinkling of dry humor. If you appreciate body horror and unhinged narrators, this one is definitely for you.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a huge fan of Amy's debut novel 'Spoilt Creatures' I was ecstatic to receive her newest writing as an arc. 'Milk, Bread, Teeth' is a subtle piece of body horror, using an unending hunger and appetite as an allegory for female chronic illness and the medical misogyny that resides so often alongside it. It deals with issues of body image, grief and loneliness and while there are stomach churning moments it is written beautifully and poignantly. If you are someone dealing with disability, chronic illness or long term pain this novel will likely hit you were it hurts with a knowing feeling of the frustration and anger that comes with it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5
Setting: UK
Rep: sapphic protagonist
One of those "hahahaha whatthefuck" kind of books. Nothing like her debut, which I enjoyed. This is unhinged and, by the end, truly stomach-churning but in a way that is very satisfying to the book and the character's journey. Lena is not likeable but she is compelling and the book is very digestible. I kept wanting to read on, despite some rather gross scenes. I had a feeling about how it would end but Twigg managed to surprise me, as it somehow went a step further than my prediction. I do love when a weird book fully commits to the weird. I'd say this is for fans of Nightbitch, The Lamb, and The Night Guest.
Setting: UK
Rep: sapphic protagonist
One of those "hahahaha whatthefuck" kind of books. Nothing like her debut, which I enjoyed. This is unhinged and, by the end, truly stomach-churning but in a way that is very satisfying to the book and the character's journey. Lena is not likeable but she is compelling and the book is very digestible. I kept wanting to read on, despite some rather gross scenes. I had a feeling about how it would end but Twigg managed to surprise me, as it somehow went a step further than my prediction. I do love when a weird book fully commits to the weird. I'd say this is for fans of Nightbitch, The Lamb, and The Night Guest.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
One of the most satisfying endings I have read in awhile. Milk, Bread, Teeth by Amy Twigg is a fantastic horror novel that I think fans of twisted horror. This book builds upon itself beautifully, from Lena's first lie throughout the whole devolution throughout her inescapable hunger. Watching Lena start to make worse and worse decisions and slowly ruin her life was masterful to read, and such a good and gratifying ending. The only reason I am giving the book 4/5 stars is that I think a few parts could have been expanded upon, especially regarding Angie and Lena's relationship. All in all, great read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was wild. Kind of literally. The allegories were relatable in the best and worst ways. I felt very connected to Lena's struggles, and her, at times, outright primal need to be heard and understood. I tore through this book as fast as Lena tore through every bit of food in her pantry. I recommend this one to all the "weirdos," any one who has felt desperation, pain, chronic illness, and anyone with any interest in knowing the inner thoughts of a woman who is just trying to get some damn help. I wish this book was longer really. 4.5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 8, 2026
This book was a wild ride! It was the perfect gory read for the start of fall to usher in the horror Halloween vibe. The FMC in this book was really well-written, and I feel like with the flashbacks we can really get a sense of why she ended up where she did. I also think that her fleeting personality was a product of her childhood and lack of a solid mother, which also provided some sort of motivation behind the FMC's narcissism. The last scene was wild and had my jaw to the floor. I am still curious as to what caused the insatiable hunger and where the root cause was! I give this book 3.75 stars but will round up to a 4.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Milk, Bread, Teeth follows Lena, a woman who cannot stop eating. She is filled with such a hunger that nothing can fill it- food or otherwise.
She befriends an actress that moves in above her apartment which expresses her to a world of wealth and stardom she has never known.
Hunger consumes her.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but this book is 5/5⭐️
Weird girl through and through, it masterfully captures the experience of being a chronically ill woman while also commenting on our world of indulgence and commodification.
I received the e-ARC via NetGalley.
She befriends an actress that moves in above her apartment which expresses her to a world of wealth and stardom she has never known.
Hunger consumes her.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but this book is 5/5⭐️
Weird girl through and through, it masterfully captures the experience of being a chronically ill woman while also commenting on our world of indulgence and commodification.
I received the e-ARC via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Net Galley and Headline for the ARC.
I completely devoured this book. This was the first book I've read by Amy Twigg and I fear I need to go read anything she has rewrite before.
Lena seems to be loosing control with her growing appetite demanding to be fed. As the days go on and the more she eats, the hunger keeps on taking. It shows her awareness as she realises she may not have any control over the hunger. As well as she struggle with loneliness and dissatisfaction.
I completely devoured this book. This was the first book I've read by Amy Twigg and I fear I need to go read anything she has rewrite before.
Lena seems to be loosing control with her growing appetite demanding to be fed. As the days go on and the more she eats, the hunger keeps on taking. It shows her awareness as she realises she may not have any control over the hunger. As well as she struggle with loneliness and dissatisfaction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is probably one of the more disgusting books I have read, and there have been a few. I can see that flesh-eating, insatiable women are still a hot topic. There are plenty of books out there about that and I think if we were to dig deeper there would be a lot to unpack there. I really enjoyed it, especially since weird fiction is one of my favourite genres, but at times I had to skip paragraphs because it was definitely too disgusting for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Milk, Bread, Teeth is a gnarly body horror novel. I thought I knew where this book was going, but I was wrong. I was so wrong, and I'm glad I was wrong. Despite the excellent body horror, it did feel like something was missing. The plot with Joan felt like almost just dissolve into nothing. I was expecting there to be a big conclusion, but it just seemed to fizzle out. I love an unlikeable, unhinged main character, and Lena delivered on that. Amy Twigg wrote a horrifying, yet relatable narrator.
Strong warnings for animal death if that's something that would bother you!
Strong warnings for animal death if that's something that would bother you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed how this book wound up. The ending was perfect, and it came together. Although... we took some winding roads, some detours, and a few dead-ends before we made it. Some characters, Angie and Peter certainly, just fell flat for me, maybe that's on purpose, but I just needed a little bit more (which seems to be on-theme, ironically).
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 15, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Oh man what a ride 😂 I got to the end and realised that I am Lena in the fact I ATE THIS BOOK UP!
Equal parts comedy, cringe (in the best way) and absolute horror I found myself putting it down for a few minutes to take a breather and then picking it straight back up again.
Would recommend to all horror lovers! Wouldn’t recommend if you have a weak stomach 😂
Oh man what a ride 😂 I got to the end and realised that I am Lena in the fact I ATE THIS BOOK UP!
Equal parts comedy, cringe (in the best way) and absolute horror I found myself putting it down for a few minutes to take a breather and then picking it straight back up again.
Would recommend to all horror lovers! Wouldn’t recommend if you have a weak stomach 😂
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I finished it within 24 hours and have only felt this disgusted and intrigued a handful of times. With each chapter you don’t entire knowledge where it will go and if you do, it changes to keep you on your toes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for this DRC-
As a woman with chronic illness and an autoimmune issue that I had to fight to get diagnosed properly - this story resonated with me deeply. Living through that and menopause at the same time is a horror story all its own. Medical mysogyny and body horror - who knew this would be a balm to my pain. This is for every woman who has a hunger to be understood and needs help when her own body begins to betray her.
As a woman with chronic illness and an autoimmune issue that I had to fight to get diagnosed properly - this story resonated with me deeply. Living through that and menopause at the same time is a horror story all its own. Medical mysogyny and body horror - who knew this would be a balm to my pain. This is for every woman who has a hunger to be understood and needs help when her own body begins to betray her.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Didn't end where I thought it might. Had me hooked throughout!
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