I wanted to give this book 5 stars. For the most part, I did enjoy the book. I know I should have felt some empathy for Sheena, since her children were kidnapped, and she was trying to figure out what to do on her own. I did not like her character. I don't know what it was, but I could not wait until I finished her chapters. The writing of this character is why I could not give the book 5 stars. The other characters, Sage, Jessa, and Ted, kept me captivated and wanting to read more. My heart ached for Sage and all she went through. I loved Jessa's development and how she cared for the kids while they were trapped. And although Ted was one of the "bad guys", I knew deep down he was a good person at heart and would not do anything to harm the kids more than they already did by kidnapping them. The ending pulled at my heartstrings. I cried for Sage, knowing how scared she was when Andy was chasing her after she escaped. I cried when she made it to the Cherished Hearts Memory Care, and she found her grandfather. I would recommend this book to my friends.

This one was INTENSE and kept me at the edge of my seat, especially considering the fact that it was inspired by the bus kidnapping that occurred in the Chowchilla community of California in 1976. I felt like the pacing starts fast, taps the brakes during the middle of the story, and then picks it speed back up towards the end, which is the reason I deducted one star. But overall, I found it extremely suspenseful and gripping. Oh, and whatever you do, do not miss the author's note.

This book kept me on my toes and I loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

. I was excited to see this book traditionally published and very excited about this author’s success.

This book follows a bus driver with a secret and 10 elementary school children ransomed for money. I come to realize that I do not enjoy book plots about kidnapping however I went into this book having that preference and it’s nothing against the author’s writing.

Overall this book kept me entertained, and I’m excited to see more from this author. I even was talking to my mom about this book and she said oh yeah like what happened in California back in the day so people do remember that this book is based on a true story.

Dnf at 50%. I'm sorry I'm really trying to get into this but The writing and the paced of the story seems not into my liking and it bored me out. I will try it again sometimes but not anytime soon.

And I appreciate that the books is based from true story the Chowchilla kidnapping and it such a a very informative that this book get me to research on this tragic moment.

I am still thankful for netgalley and publisher to grant me this e-arc. I really appreciate it!

This was my first book from Noelle Ihli, and it hooked me from the start! It was a fast-paced thriller that will appeal to a wide audience, especially those with school-aged children. There were multiple narrators throughout the book: Jessa, the driver of the aftercare bus; Sage, one of the students on the bus; and Ted, one of the kidnappers. I love when authors can do multiple MCs and do them well, like Ihli did in this book.

As an avid thriller addict, I was able to predict most of the major "twists" in the book. That is not a deal breaker for me, but it is the reason this book was a 4-star read instead of 5. I definitely enjoyed it, though, and now plan to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This psychological thriller is inspired by the real-life 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, where a bus full of children was abducted and buried alive. Ihli reimagines this harrowing event through multiple perspectives, including a bus driver with a troubled past, a determined 12-year-old girl, her mother, and one of the kidnappers.

The novel’s use of multiple points of view enriches the narrative by offering diverse perspectives, allowing readers to form deeper emotional connections with each character. Each voice is distinct, contributing to a layered and engaging storyline. The emotional core of the book is especially strong, as it explores powerful themes such as trauma, resilience, and survival. Sage, the young protagonist, stands out for her courage and quick thinking as she tries to calm the other children and orchestrate an escape. Additionally, the fact that the story is inspired by real events lends it a compelling authenticity and emotional weight. This connection to true events sparked further interest and prompted additional research into the actual case, which enhanced the overall reading experience.

Despite a gripping start, the pacing loses momentum in the middle, with certain scenes becoming repetitive and slowing the narrative. A more concise edit could help sustain the suspense throughout. While the protagonist and key supporting characters are well-developed, others, particularly the kidnappers, are portrayed in a somewhat stereotypical manner. Adding more depth and complexity to these characters would make their motivations more believable and impactful. Furthermore, some plot developments rely too heavily on coincidence or are insufficiently explained, which can momentarily disrupt the reader’s immersion in the story.

Overall, Such Quiet Girls is a compelling read that shines in its emotional depth and multiple perspectives. While it has some flaws in pacing and character development, it's a thought-provoking novel that offers a chilling look into a real-life nightmare. If you're interested in psychological thrillers based on true events, this book is worth checking out.

Wow… Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli was incredibly well written. I especially enjoyed experiencing the story through the first-person perspectives of four different characters. This approach gave depth to the narrative and made it feel very personal and immersive.

The audiobook narration was fantastic—Jennifer Jill Araya, Shawn Taylor-Corbett, Caitlin Kelly, and Helen Laser did a wonderful job bringing each character to life. Their performances made me feel like I was watching a movie; I could visualize every scene so vividly.

This is a deeply touching and moving story, especially knowing it was inspired by a true event that occurred in 1976. The author’s note at the end adds an emotional layer that stays with you after the last page.

** Thank you NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle W. Ihli for an eARC copy of Such Quiet Girls.

Ms Jessa is only a week into her new job as the after school bus driver when the bus and all the children are kidnapped one afternoon.

They are hidden in an underground bunker. Will they be able to escape?

This is a really interesting and fast paced read. Told from different perspectives including Ms Jessa, the kidnappers and also a parent of two of the kidnapped children.

I was very invested in the book from the beginning willing the children to be OK and just in awe at what they went through.

Wow!

This book was probably one of my favorites this year! The suspense, the story line, easy to read, so well written, I just loved it and all the characters were so well thought out, so much emotion. I couldn't put it down!! I have recommended this book to others because it's just so great! This is my first book by Noelle W Ihli and it won't be the last.

The cover of this book immediately caught my attention. Yes - I judge a book by its cover! Noelle Ihli is a new to me author. I will definitely picking up some of her other books, I have heard Ask for Andrea is good too. Oh - and this book is based off of a true story: 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping. I promise you will go down a rabbit hole seeking out information. I love when a book does this!

Ten children are abducted and buried alive.
Jessa, the new bus driver, is also abducted. They are taken to a new location and trapped in a shipping container underground. Although, they are given water, food and a bucket, the shipping container is hot with lots of scared people in it. Should they be complacent or fight for their lives?

This story is told from multiple POV’s: Jessa, the bus driver, Sage, the oldest child abducted, Sheena, mom of two abducted children including Sage, and Ted, one of the kidnappers. Each POV brought their own appeal to the story and I really enjoyed them all. I had a love-hate relationship with Jessa. She had so many personal traumas that contributed to her behavior on the bus and in the shipping container. Sage was incredibly resilient and my fav character! Overall, this book is a page-turner. I loved the way the story unfolded before my eyes. Each chapter giving you just a little more.

Jessa, a newly hired bus driver, is carrying 10 children to Bright Beginning Child Care Center. En route, they were abducted and trapped inside a shipping container buried 20 feet underground, and from there, the plot kept constant suspense and kept the reader hooked to the story.

It's the fictionalized version of Chowchilla's real kidnapping case. I haven't read about the real events yet, as I didn't want to have any spoilers.

This story is frightening and heartbreaking. The fact that it is based on actual events gives you goosebumps.

My heart goes out to Sage, a 12-year-old who uses her calm and bravery to calm down her little sister Bonnie and all her younger mates.

My heartaches to Sheen, a single mother to two children, how adamantly she faced the situation dealing with the kidnapping of her two children and elderly father suffering from Alziehmer at the same time.

Neohli Ihli is the queen of the emotional thriller. This will rip your heart out, as it is one of the worst nightmares any parent wants to face

This is the unputdownable story. You must read it if you want an emotional roller coaster ride based on actual events.

I am definitely gonna see the CNN documentary of Chowchilla-based actual events

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for Such Quiet Girls. Let me start by saying I truly enjoyed this story mainly because it was based off true events. This book tells the story of Bonnie & Sage they are 2 little girls on a school bus with 9 other kids to their daycare rec center. Ms Jessa is the new bus driver driving the bus, and as their school bus has been hijacked by 2 men wearing panty-hose as masks they must listen very carefully to what they say to do if they all want to survive. They collect all their phones into a single bag, ziptie each kid and Ms. Jess, and load them into a airport shuttle van leaving the bus in the middle of nowhere due to a detour they made the bus take. Sheena is Bonnie and Sage's mother and she just so happened to be the cities treasury and is charge of all the money. Ted Barrett and Andy McQuain are the 2 men that decide to pull this heist off and the story is also told from Ted's point of view along with Sage, Jessa, and Sheena. I loved the 4 person point of view in this story. Sheena must get 50k dollars in cash from 5 different banks, then wire 2 million in bitcoin to the kidnappers and if she involves the police all the children will die, she has one day to complete all this. The kidnappers work at a quarry and thought it was the perfect place to build a Bunker which is an enormous shipping container underground, which is twenty feet long, eight feet wide, and twelve feet high. The bring the kids and Jess down into this bunker and place wood and various junk on top so the kids wont be able to get out. There are mattress in the bunker along with 2 buckets to go to the bathroom and 30 PB&J sandwiches with some water bottles. Ted made sure the kids had something to eat. Ms Jessa lied to get this job and used her sisters maiden name because if she used her name they would find out that she was recently in prison for killing her husband. She was in an extremely abusive relationship with her husband the father of her daughter and it was simply a kill or be killed moment and she made a decision to protect herself and her daughter. She could not afford a very good attorney and he was not able to prove past abuse because she got really good at hiding it so the state gave her a offer of do 4 years in prison then she can be free or risk it all and go to trial and risk spending the rest of her life in prison. Ms. Jessa believes she deserves everything that is happening to her right now. Sage is the oldest of the kids on the bus and she has an idea while she is down in the bunker to stack the mattress so she can try to reach the top of the piece of wood covering the top of the bunker and dig her way out. As she is digging her way out her hands are bleeding and sore the bunker caves in on itself burying them alive.

I absolutely love this author and her previous book Ask For Andrea and this book was an excellent read and another 5 start read for me and I highly recommend.

I did enjoy this book!! The plot was entertaining & the fact it was based on a true story made it all the more interesting to read!!!

3.5 rounded up to 4! I liked this much more than the last Noelle Ihli I read! Following the multiple POVs was very impactful and I loved hearing all the different sides of the story. Pick it up on KU!

Noelle Ihli does it again. I became a fast fan of Noelle’s writing with my first read of one of her books in Ask for Andrea. I was compelled reading that with such a different point of view. I have since learned after reading four of her books that it is because Noelle is such an amazing author in character development. I find when I read her books I easily shift from point of view and personal experience of character. Such Quiet Girls is my second written by her based losely on true events, and it was wonderfully suspenseful.

Holy Moly! Noelle W. Ihli does it again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another adrenaline filled book is based on true events. I'm not crying, you are crying! Could not put this one down. Great character development, pacing, plot, and conclusions. Can't recommend her books enough!

I haven’t picked up an Ihli book that I haven’t enjoyed yet. The last 3 I’ve read have been inspired by true events that are heart breaking. Each time I finish one I go on a deep dive of the events and this one will be no different. I truly enjoy this author’s writing and can’t wait to finish all her books!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book drew me on from the beginning and I could not put it down!! Jessa is a bus driver for a private school and on her way to drop off the children at daycare she ran into a detour that didn’t seem quite right. She should have went with her instincts!! As the events unfold I had to keep reading to find out what happened! Definitely recommend!!

Second novel by Noel West Ihli and second to hit a solid five starts. The rabbit hole this sent me down after reading was insane. I had no idea this was based on true evens and the details are harrowing.

This novel is so intense and stressful but I couldn't put it down. The pacing was perfection and the multiple POVs made the story. If you have time after reading, I highly suggest googling Chowchilla to learn more about this real life incident.

This book was absolutely amazing. Will be going and reading all of her work because she's just incredible. A solid 5 stars and I promise you will bawl and the ending. Thank you NetGalley for this arc!! One of my favorites of the year so far.