wow!!! another excellent book from Noelle! this was dark, scary and perfect for spooky season. would def recommend!!!

I read through this story quickly. I love all of the books by the author that I have read in the past so I was curious to see how this one would go - especially since I listened to a few podcasts on the true story in the past. I think that the author did a great job and this one will be a recommendation from me for awhile!

This wasn’t my favorite book. I am a huge Noelle Ihli fan but this one just didn’t do it for me. I’ll still be reading her stuff though.

Amazing book! I love the way Ihli takes true stories and put her own spin/twist on them. Such Quiet Girls didn't disappoint in bringing out all your emotions. I felt for all the characters. This book was so enthralling that I finished it in less than 24 hours. I could not put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Such Quiet Girls is a compelling thriller, a quick read that will have you engulfed and invested from the start. The fact that it's based on real occurrences adds so much more to the thriller.
A school bus goes missing with young children on it, the oldest being 11 years old. The driver of the bus isn't the most wholesome driver with a clean record, so of course, she is automatically a person of interest when that comes about. The students work together, and one successfully escapes, and the place she escapes to is the most ironic.
This story is a good, suspenseful one. There were several moments where I found myself holding my breath, yet in awe that these little children were so brave. I felt for everyone in this story - the children, the mother, and even the driver. The ending was a bit lackluster, however, the incident that led up to the ending was a shocker and exactly what this book needed! 4 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle West Ihli for this read.

This was my first book by Noelle and definitely won't be my last. The story switches between multiple different perspectives, but i didn’t struggle at all to keep up with the different POVS at all. The story was fast paced and had my anxiety up towards the end- this is something I look for in a thriller after all. Huge thank you to netgalley and Noelle West Ihli for this ARC!

I love Noelle West Ihli's writing and this book is no exception. Gut wrenching story and twist on a true story from the 1970s that the author did so well. This book paints a picture of an unthinkable situation and what people will do to protect their loved ones. It also showcases the bonds of love, redemption, hope, and protection as shown and told by multiple viewpoints throughout the story. Gripping and thought provoking.

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle West Ihli is my first book from this author and I cannot wait to read more from her!

We are introduced to Ms. Jessa. We know that she did some time in jail, and that she doesnt have custody of her daughter, but not why until later in the book. After getting out, she reinvented herself and now works as a bus driver at a private school called Bright Beginnings.

Bonnie, Sage and the 8 other kids on Bus 315 are on their way home when suddenly their bus gets hijacked by 2 masked men. They are taken to a quarry and burried in a shipping container twenty feet underground.

At the same time, the parents of the kids at Bright Beginnings are being notified that their children have gone missing. Bonnie and Sage's mom then receives a ransom note. She is tasked at getting a large sum of money, without raising suspicion. The clock is ticking, can she get the money before time runs out for the kids and Ms. Jessa?²

I loved how this book showed different points of view in a way that made sense and the story was continuous and heart racing. This book gripped me and didn't let go until the very end.

Thank you Noelle West Ihli for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This story was so anxiety filled, page-turning and all of the above. I loved the way the author portrayed the realistic handling of situations, and not making everybody seem like superheroes.
-I loved the short chapters because the last 30% of this book i FLEW through. my anxiety was sky high😅
-this book also has 4 different POV’S with one of them being one of the kidnappers, the mother of 2 children buried, the bus driver, & one of the students. Getting to experience each one of their POV’s & how they were feeling was something i really enjoyed!!
-i definitely recommend picking this one up on April, 29th when it releases if you need a quick, anxiety filled page turner!

This author is so popular on Kindle Unlimited, I tried to give this book and Ask Andrea a try but both of them were just too basic for me and weren't the style thriller I like. I wanted to enjoy it but it just was written poorly in my opinion.

This one just didn't do it for me, I am sorry! It started off strong but it took me forever to read it after the first couple of chapters, Sorry!

First book read of this author, quite enjoyed it, some parts weee predictable, but never the less a good plot and worth a read

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. I did not like the writing style and I couldn't get into the story at all.

A harrowing read!
I felt the walls closing in the longer I read and the longer the victims were caged in the container.
Safe was the absolute hero of the story. Without her grit and determination they would’ve all expired.
I thought Jess’s was well kinda useless.
I cheered as Grandpa proved he still had force training in him.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I love her writing. She definitely knows how to tell a story and to ratchet up the suspense to a breaking point.

The 10 girls and the bus driver are on the way back to Bright Beginnings, an aftercare program, following their day at school. It’s Friday afternoon. Jessa,the bus driver, is anxious because she has a background she doesn’t want the employer to find about. She’s trying very hard not to break any rules or call any negative attention to herself.

Then a nightmare occurs—-two men with pantyhose over their heads stop the bus , barricade it from moving, and imprison the entire lot underground in an elaborate fashion. The kidnappers want lots of money and have a plan to get it. As usual in these kind of stories, they contact a parent and order that no police contact is to occur. I was impressed with the complexity of the ransom plan! I couldn’t figure out how this would work out for the victims.

I won’t disclose more of the plot so as not to spoil the surprises, but I think this one is worth the read!

Five stars!

I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher and NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

It pains me to say this, but I really did not enjoy this book. While the premise was intriguing and I greatly appreciate that Noelle sheds light on overlooked historical events, the execution unfortunately fell short for me.

The chapters written from Sage’s perspective felt forced in their attempt to capture a “childlike” voice, which distracted from the story. Additionally, I found Jessa’s character extremely frustrating, her timidity and lack of action made her feel ineffective at crucial moments, and I couldn’t connect with her. These elements left me more exasperated than engaged.

Overall, while I admire the intention behind the story, the reading experience itself was disappointing. That’s not to say other readers wouldn’t enjoy it, I think many others would.

Many thanks for the arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinions. I truly appreciate it.

the moment i started this book i started telling all my friends and bookclub how badly they needed to check this out. this was so suspenseful. although a ton of thriller books haven’t been calling out to me, this one made me enjoy the genre even more than i have before. having the multiple pov’s including those of children made this book really stand out to me. though some parts were a bit dragging this was a solid read and i’m really glad i was able to read it.

I always enjoy Noelle’s books, and this one was no different! It spikes your adrenaline from the get go and the multiple POVs keeps your interest peaked throughout.

I listened to the audiobook, and I appreciated the multiple narrators. All of them did a great job. I think I enjoyed it more as an audiobook than I would have reading the physical copy.

I recommend reading the author’s note at the end when you finish the story. Although this novel is a work of fiction, it was inspired by true events and an actual bus abduction that occurred in Chowchilla in 1976.

Such Quiet Girls is the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you guessing right until the last page. The tension between the characters is palpable, and the sense of unease builds beautifully. I loved how the story peeled back layer after layer, revealing just how much the past can haunt the present. A few slower chapters kept it from being a full 5 stars, but overall it’s an addictive, atmospheric read that thriller fans will devour.

Enjoyed this story of a group of children and their bus driver kidnapped and held hostage in an unusual location. Speaks to the fortitude and strength of a young girl and her determination to get free. Lots of action, criminals were typical and good ending.