Let’s talk about what an incredibly strong girl Sage was. Protective,strong,determined. Her mom raised such an incredible person. Speaking of moms, this seemed to be a strong topic throughout the book. Let’s start with Sheena, she broke the law and never gave up on finding her daughters. Her determination has a lot to do with why everyone lived. While Jessa wasn’t portrayed has a good mom, I think deep down that she was. She killed her child’s father in order to protect her and she protected those children when it mattered most. The worst mother award goes to Teddy’s mother, if you can even call her that. Teddy did an awful thing, but in the end did the right thing. I think he was trying to prove his mother wrong.

Definitely a page turner that got me out of a reading slump. I first saw this book advertised by the author on her TikTok and was lucky enough to get an advanced copy from NetGalley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was very hard to put down at times. I am very into crime shows and podcasts, so I had heard the original story that this book was lightly based off of. Very good writing. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Will be recommending Such Quiet Girls to my friends in my book club. Will definitely be reading more from this author.

Such Quiet Girls was my first novel by Noelle Ihli, and it definitely won’t be my last. This book hit me in all the feels—it takes a lot to make me cry while reading, but this one did it.

Shauna’s and Jessa’s nightmarish experiences as mothers made me hug my kids a little tighter and appreciate every moment with them. The story is every parent’s worst nightmare: kidnapping, being buried alive—and the fact that it’s inspired by real events is absolutely mind-blowing.

The writing was spot-on: short chapters, multiple POVs, and even a villain redemption arc. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The suspense was intense, and I found myself constantly wondering what would happen next. While the story does get a little heavy at times, especially with kids involved, it wasn’t overwhelming. A gripping, fast-paced read that kept me hooked until the end.

I could not put this one down, it had my heart in the throat from start to finish! The story was very well written and timelines were true to real events. I definitely reccomend diving in on April 29th! Noelle Ihli, another brilliant masterpiece.

Let me tell you, Noelle W. Ihli is not an author to sleep on because you’ll be missing out on great books! She’s definitely become one of my top 5 favorite authors! Her other two books, Gray After Dark and Ask for Andrea, are two of my favorite books and Noelle did not disappoint with this book! Did I have anxiety while reading this? Yes. Did I cry? Yes. Total emotional rollercoaster! Should you read it? Heck yes!

Inspired by the true events of the Chowchilla kidnapping in 1976, this chilling story will have you hooked from the first page and have you gripping the edge of your seat!

New bus driver Jess and the ten kids she is transporting are abducted in broad daylight by two masked men, and forced into a shipping container that is buried 20 feet underground. The kidnappers insist that they will live if they follow instructions, but some of them aren’t so sure if that is true. The space is cramped and the air is hard to breathe, Can Jess and the children outsmart their kidnappers before it’s too late?

WOW. Just wow! If being buried alive is a fear of yours, be prepared to need breaks while reading this one! The writing style and atmospheric detail was incredible and made me feel like I was trapped with them. I also enjoyed that there were multiple POVs so you understand the plot from all angles. This was truly an excellent read, be sure to get your hands on it!

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite books for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thankyou netgallery for the ARC, I have read books previously by this author and I find each book gets better. I absolutely.loved this book.. it had me wanting to read past bedtime just to see what happens next.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to read it! It was a page turner and kept your interest the entire time.

Noelle Ihli has done it again! I swear I was on the edge of my seat with this one, especially with it having school aged children. The suspense was amazing and had me turning pages so fast. It really had me questioning what I would do if any of my kids were in this kind of situation. Definitely another great thriller and highly recommend!

I’m still reeling from that ending! Such Quiet Girls is a heart-pounding, emotional thriller inspired by true events that had me hooked from the first page. Noelle’s writing is phenomenal, she masterfully builds tension and suspense, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The claustrophobia of the kids trapped underground, the emotional weight of Jessa’s guilt, and the urgency of the situation made this an exhilarating read I couldn’t put down.

A huge thank you to the author for the early copy I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a thrilling, unforgettable ride.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!

On an ordinary Thursday afternoon, the bus unexpectedly takes a detour on the way home. This twist leads to the abduction of ten children and their bus driver! "Such Quiet Girls" navigates this wild adventure through the viewpoints of the bus driver, a child, a parent searching for their missing kids, and the kidnapper. I truly appreciated the book's intriguing concept and the variety of perspectives. However, I felt that some sections in the middle were a bit drawn out and repetitive. The ending certainly had my heart racing, although it seemed a bit rushed. Overall, "Such Quiet Girls" was an engaging and thrilling read.

Noelle West Ihli does it again! 4.5/5 stars. Such Quiet Girls keeps you on the edge of you seat and turning the pages.
10 children abducted in broad daylight and buried alive with their bus driver. Will they make it out of their entombment before they run out of air?
Jessa has a past she is trying to get away from, did she bring this upon herself?
Go read it now!

Automatic 5 star read plus 1, as this one will live rent free in my head! These characters completely captured my heart from the absolute beginning & will probably still have a hold on it for near future. If it was Noelle’s sole goal to give me heart palpitations, job well done lol! The suspense, tension & sense of dread was so thick, it made me read this 345 page book in 24 hours.

Sisters Sage & Bonnie, along with their aftercare bus driver Ms. Jessa & 9 other kids are kidnapped, buried underground in a bunker & held for ransom! Their fight for survival as they try to outsmart their kidnappers exudes bravery & is extremely heart wrenching.

Based on a true story, I will for sure be reading articles & the watching the CNN documentary for this true event, The Chowchilla kidnapping in 1976. Although a fictionalized version of events, Noelle did an amazing job with this story.

Overall, this book was excellent, amazing, emotional, well written (and all the adjectives you can think of). Highly highly recommend, the kids from bus 315 will stick with me for a while! Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Release date: 4/29/25

4⭐️
WOW 😳

A bus of ten elementary aged children and their driver are abducted on the way to their after school daycare and buried alive in a shipping container where they will be kept unless a ransom is paid.

This one had me on the edge of my seat!! The alternating POVs and action from the very beginning made this one hard to put down. Finding out after finishing this book that it was inspired by actual events made it even more terrifying. This was my first Noelle Ihli book and definitely won’t be the last!

*Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Such Quiet Girls is based off of a true story that occurred in Chowchilla back in 1976. This story gripped me in at the beginning! I had never heard of the story prior to reading this book, so I was even more interested in learning more. The emotions I experienced while reading this book were rough! The events that happened were heartbreaking! Noelle did a great job on this book and made all the details so visible in my mind! I am grateful that the ending healed my broken heart. I can only imagine how horrible this event truly was. I love that the book also touched on Alzheimer's as a geriatric nurse I completely understood what Sheena was going through during the difficult times. Thankful for the advanced copy from Noelle and NetGalley!! Coming out 4/29/2025!!

I’m so thankful I had the chance to read this ARC, it was such an amazing read and Noelle is one of my favorite authors for sure. She has a way of telling a story that can draw anyone in.

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle Ihli is an incredibly twisted tale. It is based on the Chowchilla kidnapping of 1976. This story draws you in from the very first chapter. There is complex layering for each of the main characters that unfolds throughout the book. There is one twist after another, the ending was absolutely brilliant. I found myself holding my breath more than once. Nothing about this is predictable, you just have to hold on and buckle up. Such Quiet Girls is a must read that I will never stop recommending! Noelle Ihli has officially become one of my auto-buy authors.

“Don’t look at the hole I made in the paint, I told him with my mind, like I was a Jedi from Star Wars.” - Sage, 11 years old

“I didn’t just have to sit here because I was a kid. I didn’t have to listen to the only grownup down here. I could do something.” - Sage, 11 years old

I went into Such Quiet Girls with minimal knowledge of what it was going to be about and I’m so glad I did. It was a gripping thriller and I really enjoyed the multiple POVs, the use of time for the victims was also done really well to help the story. Would recommend and didn’t realise it was based on a true event so will be looking that up as well!

This book was brilliant! Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout! Feel like this book would make an amazing film. So well written! Definitely a five star book for me. This was my first book by this author and definitely won't be my last. Thanks Netgalley for letting me read and review this book!