A gripping horror story with a terrifying message.
Be scared and learn at the same time!

I will always be a sucker for books that reference my home state.

The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallace gave me chills I wasn’t expecting. The haunted Oakwell Farms School for Girls feels like a place that’s still alive—and not in a good way. Hazel’s investigation into the past uncovers dark secrets and spirits that seem to cling to you long after you’ve finished reading. Wallach masterfully weaves a tale of betrayal, corruption, and supernatural terror that kept me turning pages late into the night. The haunted visions and eerie whispers make your skin crawl, especially when Hazel begins to see the ghostly girl staring back at her in the mirror… a girl with stories to tell—and a thirst for justice. The storyline is intense, with some genuinely creepy moments that will leave you second-guessing every shadow. It’s not a cozy read—more like walking through a fog of malevolence that might just follow you home. A hauntingly good story, but definitely one to read with the lights on. Just be prepared—it’s not just a ghost story; it feels like these spirits might still be lurking...long after you’ve closed the book.

This was a really intriguing premise that pulled me in right away. I couldn't put it down. Very powerful.

The Silenced gave me witchy vibes I did not even know I was craving. I could not put this book down. I was reading it before bed, during lunch, even while sitting under the dryer at the salon. That is how good this book is.

What really pulled me in was how the story jumps between the present and the past. It kept me hooked, always wanting to know what piece of the puzzle would drop next. The abuela in the story reminds me of my husband’s grandmother. Just like her. I related so much to Hazel. She reminded me of my own high school days when I felt invisible. And Deidre was the queen that embodied what a hero is. She was fierce and unforgettable.

If you are into stories that blend mystery, witchy vibes, and timelines that shift between then and now, The Silenced is absolutely worth reading.

An eerie ghost story that had was an absolute page turner but at the same time making me want to look away. Ever since reading this book I’ve been trying very hard to not look into mirrors, or anything with a reflection, with the fear I’d see something. It even had my heart rate increase because the descriptions were just chilling. I absolutely loved this book, it was heart wrenching reading what these girls went through and how much pain they felt even after death. If you’re looking for a spooky revenge ghost story that has you looking over your shoulder constantly as you read it, but isn’t too scary this one is for you!

Thank you again to @netgalley and @delacortepress for this advanced copy!

A school for juvenile delinquency that ended in death while the others just thought they were in the bucket aka solidarity. Hazel and Maddie had discovered so much about the reason why Hazel couldn’t be friends with someone she considered her best friend and the behavior she started to have after her incident and the death of her sister. All information started to pour out entirely.

This is my first book by this author but, if the others or any more in the future will have me wanting to go to the next pages like this one did, I am all for it. I loved this book and I really hate the way the bad guy was in this book trying to get everyone else to do his bidding just so he could have a clear conscious and have the other person with regret. He was a narcissistic hypocrite and I hated that for him because a truth goes a long way. The apple didn’t go to far from the poisonous tree.

I always love books that shine a light on often overlooked and devastating parts of history. I also like how this author made the creep factor and unfairness of this institution without outright and blatant SA. It felt more impactful and not at all gratuitous. Well written and a great story that leaves you aching for the characters, knowing that they've probably actually existed in some form in the world.

The Silenced was just WOW. I got this book not knowing that it took place practically in my back yard. I was so excited to learn some Philadelphia Suburb history and I loved that Diana included the history of the farm and ended the book with resources and what is being done to fix this broken system - I hope you read the afterward it is eye opening to the real issues that are still happening. This book absolutely floored me, I felt like there were some parts that felt slow but I am so happy I stuck around to the end because it did not miss. Once I made it to the second half the book I FLEW through it, every chapter leaves you wanting more, and at the edge of your seat. Hazel goes through a lot in this book and I think it perfectly portrays the struggle of a high schooler - with a few paranormal additions - the fight for a social life, keeping grades high, and keeping a good relationship with family and friends, and dealing with the trials and tribulations of just being a high schooler - I felt like I was back in the halls of my high school.

I honestly do not think I could recommend this book more, I this is was an easy read as it is a YA book, but do not let that fool you, there were creepy scenes that felt so so real and left me speechless. This book opens up a conversation while entertaining you with thrills and chills.

Thank you to Diana Rodriguez Wallace, NetGalley, and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Silenced was absolutely fantastic! The author wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

I enjoyed the representation of a Hispanic FMC and Catholicism. This book also did not shy away from the gore and blood and I love that. I think the theme of not being punished for the sins of the father could have been better developed and the chapters at the reform school could have been a bit grittier but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Hazel Perez has a school assignment to research a place of history. The rest of her group wants to do the project on "The Farm", a reform school for girls, that closed in 2001. But something has followed her back, and wants her to solve the mystery of that place...
What a great book. It's a YA book, but it doesn't read like one. I was totally engrossed from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed enjoyed this book! So many emotions were felt. Empathy, anger, rage, sadness, desperation. Absolutely a 5 star! I felt the author did her research and did this story justice.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review

The Silenced is edge of seat thrilling, a very well-researched YA horror novel that gives a voice to the Troubled Teen Industry by flipping back & forth between an outcast teen girl of today & a girl yearning to survive one of those facilities in 1995. Hazel and Maddie, her younger sister, are each perfect by their own standards in their parents' eyes and never truly disrupt the status quo, thus keeping peace in the family and publicly, but that all changes with Hazel's group history project. A local history project seems simple, especially with a classmate's connection to the landmark, but some truths lie buried from the youth of today. Ghosts linger at The Farm because of trauma wrought upon them during their stay, which leaves Hazel and others puzzling together the pieces to provide a much needed microphone.

I love how Wallach digs deep for historical facts behind the stories she wishes to tell, especially the chilling truth of Sleighton Farm School for Girls. The polished details refine the story, setting, and characters with unsettling nuance that urged me to learn more about places like The Farm and those survivors and victims. The connections families in The Silenced have to the abomination of a "school" lingers in my mind, wondering what sort of situations could drive parents to send their daughters away and what types of people hit the end of their ropes with children in that way or how someone could justify running a facility like the one featured here. Relationships of the novel among friends, family, and romances feel natural from the heartwarming to the snarkiness, and their realness further brings the reality that people have lived (or not) through these ordeal in our world home.

Note: I read the entire second half of the book in one day, partly because of the fast pace and partly because of the CONSTANT intrigue.

Huge thanks to Random House Children's /Delacorte Press and Netgalley for access to an early copy.

Wow. This one.

I enjoyed this story from start to finish. It grips you from the very beginning and keeps you hooked throughout- which isn’t always the case. At times, there were moments I got pulled out of the story a little bit because there were brief moments (genuinely brief) that felt a liiiittle unrealistic.

That being said!
This story is a fictionalized account of a very real issue and a very real place (definitely take the time to read the afterward). The story is written in a compelling way, the characters are well developed and ones you learn to both love and hate, depending on the character.

Hazel Perez is your main character. She goes with some friends to an old, no abandoned, school out on a farm and hijinx ensue. She continues to look into this old school and finds the history haunting in more ways than one. The history behind this school is terrifying and horrific. Look up your trigger warnings just in case but definitely pick this one up.

Such a gripping read, sucks you in right from the start! Very creepy & atmospheric, this is a story that stays with the reader. Loved it!

This is a wonderful book that really looks at schools for troubled teens. I really liked the exploration of how the past haunts the future, and even things that aren't talked about have a way of following into the present. I enjoyed the feminine rage and how it manifested in the book, especially with its descriptions. The imagery in the book was amazing and vivid, and it made the book feel real. It also made the emotions more realistic, and the actions of the ghost felt visceral. I liked all of the characters and their relationships with each other. The drama of losing friends and the reasons why were really good, and the emotions between the two families were really good. Overall, I thought this book was outstanding, and it was very easy to keep turning the page to see what happened.

Absolutely INCREDIBLE.
This is a supernatural thriller that follows a teenager FMC. She joins a project at the abandoned Oakwell Farms and ends up awakening a vengeful spirit that is actually tied to a super dark family secret. There's cultural layers, truths and justice, and it really puts a spotlight on issues that we still have today. This was such a good read.

The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach is a chilling supernatural thriller that tackles real-life horrors within the troubled teen industry. When loner Hazel Perez joins a project at the abandoned Oakwell Farms, she awakens a vengeful spirit tied to a dark family secret. As Hazel unravels the mystery, she’s drawn into a dual timeline that reveals the heartbreaking story of Deirdre, a teen sent to the Farm in 1995 for being gay.

This story blends ghostly suspense with powerful social commentary. Hazel’s transformation is compelling, and the use of espiritismo adds a unique cultural layer. The focus stays on truth and justice, with romance taking a backseat. Haunting and heartfelt, The Silenced sheds light on a disturbing industry that still exists today.

Thank you to Diana Rodriguez Wallace, NetGalley, and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it had that supernatural thriller element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters had that element that I was wanting and enjoyed the overall concept and how it was told;. Diana Rodriguez Wallach was able to create a unique concept for the genre and was glad everything was so well written. It reminded me of what I enjoyed from Hatchet Girls and am excited for more from Diana Rodriguez Wallach.

This was my first time reading Diana Rodriguez Wallach, and it definitely won’t be my last! The Silenced had so many twists and turns that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story threw another curveball. The unpredictability made it such a thrilling read. I’m already excited to pick up the next book!